Welcome to the Underworld
by fallenfellfrisk
Summary: Frisk clambered up the mountain. The mountain of so many horror stories. She refused to be frightened by such things, but her heart was still racing as she ascended the peak of Mt. Ebott. It was rumored to be the home of bloodthirsty monsters that were cast into the mountain as punishment for their loss against humanity. It was just another scary story. {UNDERFELL}
1. The Fall

**Welcome to the Underworld  
** _{Log 1: The Ruins_

 _Entry1: The Fall}_

 **Once Upon a Time. . .**

That is how the first line of a fairytale is supposed to go, isn't it? A protagonist falls into a world of crazy dream and childlike wonder? You, my dear reader, are thinking of a light hearted tale. One filled with passion, love, and magic. Perhaps you should set this story down and go read one of those tales for yourself. This, though not a work of pitch black, is darker and drearier then what you can imagine. Consider for a moment that the phrase Once Upon a Time is but a device. A device to illuminate the story of a girl that will one day experience horror and tragedy in a place far from that of a what you would call a fairytale. Every appearance a deception. Every word a lie. So let us start again since such conventionalities are important.

Long Ago. . .

Two races ruled over Earth: HUMANS and MONSTERS. One day, war broke out between the two races. After a long battle...{You are NOT making me re-write the fucking history of monsters!} _You already know all this._

Mt. Ebott: Year 201X

 _Legends say that those that climb the mountain never return._

Do you know what happens when the entire world forgets a part of their history? What happens when a pivotal moment becomes lost in time, buried, forgotten? A savage and brutal war for the dominance of the planet was fought on the very ground which you now walk, yet no one remembers. A long time ago, humans and monsters used to live in harmony on the surface together. The monsters gave a small group of humans the gift of magic, the very essence of themselves. The humans gave the gift of science, law, and other principles to them in kind. Not all the monsters agreed to this world of harmony. Both races eventually felt superior over the other. The monsters primarily were frightened of the power of the human soul. Their DETERMINATION and ability to manifest their very being made them formidable, powerful, and a threat. The humans that they had once respected began to become greedy. As did monster kind. What was the catalyst of this great war? Experimentation is what drove both sides to loathe one another. A scientist by the name of Dr. Wing Dings Gaster, a foul tempered mad scientist of a skeleton, began to harvest and experiment on humans exhibiting strong soul traits. Not every human had these attributes that stained their very being a singular bright hue of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, cyan, or purple, but those that did, still did not sate his twisted curiosity.

The skeleton refused a moral compass at an early age, devoting himself and his work to the betterment of monster kind. At what cost? His very soul? The souls and lives of others? Mere trifle compared to the success that lay just beyond his grasp. Monsters would no longer have to peacefully reside with the humans, they would rule as they were supposed to. As they were originally intended. Human subjects sucked of all life, their very essence and being ripped from their physical form became his main intrigue. Experiment after experiment caused him to push his work to new heights at the expense of ethics. Humans were but collateral damage. A way to attain new scientific acclaim. The humans began experiments of their own. Both parties were equally abhorrent in their practices, treating one another as lab rats to further scientific breakthroughs. The power obtained within such experimentation continued for centuries until finally war broke out. It is unclear if either side was successful in their pursuits; however, the long bloody war followed for the next two centuries. Once humans _**and**_ monsters now dissolved into humans _**v.s.**_ monsters.

As the legend goes, humanity was victorious, but to what end? The ancestors of the first humans that had received the gift of magic, seven human mages as they were so labeled, used their power to seal the monsters underground for their uprising. These seven were humans able to manifest their souls and use magic just as the monsters had after decades, perhaps even centuries of practice. Each one exhibited a different brightly colored aura and soul trait. Up to this point, all humans had some sort of trait though very few had the amount required for it to be useful. The seven stood over what used to be just a lonely mountain as the barrier rose. No one would be able to get out, human or monster alike. The combined power of their souls would seal them away forever, and only the combined power of the seven would be able to break it.

Once praised as heroes for their imprisonment of the demons trapped underground, the seven human mages were deemed a threat when they began to build upon those foundations the monsters once started. If humans could harness and use the power of their souls and potentially even magic, the benefits would be great, but they were just a minority. After the events of the war, the rest of the human population wanted to erase it from their memory, and centuries later the very existence of monsters and magic ceased to exist. The concept of magic faded into obscurity becoming something evil. The war became nothing but a legend in the eyes of the new generations. Monsters were nothing but a superstition, the mad ravings of a deranged mind. For how could something so terrifying and so deadly exist in this world? As consciousness began to fade so did magic. Those that exhibited unusual magical capabilities were quickly disposed of. Thus the second war began. The war against all magic and those that had the ability to wield it. A civil war that ended in the extinction of mages from the earth, or so it's said. A town just on the outskirts of a major city. Just like the mountain named after it, the people of this quaint little town have never forgotten. After a long period and generations of repressed history, even the humans within power began to forget all but one small town. The town at the base of the mountain, Ebott Town.

The balance within the world was now broken, but as with such universal constants it always finds a way to right itself through natural means. There must always be a balance in the world. A balance of magic and science. The humans prior tried to exterminate the existence of magic to no avail. Every death of a mage would bring forth another as the magic buried itself deep into a new soul creating latent abilities in a chosen human child. The Seven: justice, bravery, patience, kindness, perseverance, integrity, and DETERMINATION would live on within these children. If one perished then the magic would attach itself to another chosen soul, unless of course the souls were collected. The lone town that knew the truth of their past was their only sanctuary. A place for them to escape from those that wished them harm. Ebott Town had once been a place of protection, but after the decades had passed, the beliefs of the townspeople had began to twist. _Absolute power corrupts absolutely and thus this is how our story… begins._

Frisk clambered up the mountain. The mountain of so many horror stories, myths, and legends. She refused to be frightened by such things, but her heart was still racing as she ascended the peak of Mt. Ebott. It was rumored to be the home of bloodthirsty monsters that were cast into the mountain as punishment for their loss against humanity. It was a bloody and brutal war, yet it faded from existence slowly. It became nothing more than a scary story except for those of her little town. Her little town? No, that's not where she belonged. She was abused, her body showing signs of such brutality. The people in her town were crazy occultists that tried to appease the monsters below by sacrificing _special_ children. The books contained in an ancient archive spoke of such a sacrifice required. The only way to nullify their spell, a barrier of sorts, that kept the monsters trapped in the darkness could only be broken by seven human souls. It would only be later that she would learn of their true motives. To make humans with latent magical or soul properties a weapon against the monsters. One by one, they would fall into the mountain never to return from their brainwashed mission.

Frisk was one of these children. Her parents had been killed due to their opposition to have their only daughter thrown down into the black abyss. The fall would kill her instantly when she reached the bottom of the towering mountain. She was alone and frightened. She no longer had anyone to look after her or instruct her on the essentials of life. All she had was a feeling of never ending dread and death looming over her head. She pushed it all down, internalizing all her pains and putting on a mask of indifference. She tried to be the happy one no matter the circumstances. One day, she could not take it any longer. She just wanted to get it over with. Nothing was worse than the eternal wait of being thrown down of the cliff. Day after day. Week after week. Month after month. Year after agonizing year. Her resolve wavered as she stood at the lip of the cavern just below her feet. All of it would soon be over. She would finally be able to be at peace. Her hands convulsed when she prepared to jump.

Time seemed to stop as she flung herself into gloom. She felt herself falling, down, down, down further and further before smacking the ground. Everything went black instantly but there was no pain. Her eyes fluttered open to see herself in a desolate cave, void of all foliage or life except for a small patch of golden flowers she had landed upon. She had survived? How? That fall should have killed her instantly, yet here she was, now trapped in the mountain like those before her. A mountain filled with the bloodthirsty terrifying monsters of legend. Creatures that were supposed to only be found in books and movies. Now she was trapped just like them.

There was a giggle from behind her, wispy and distant, yet so close it was like it was in her head.

~ _It's because of me, partner._

She looked around frantically in confusion, only to find the darkness of the cavern creeping closer as if it were alive and had a mind of its own. Black tendrils were just waiting to surround her in darkness. She called out meekly, "who...who is there?"

There wasn't really a voice, more like a feeling.

 _Chara_

She felt a shudder run down her spine. An intuitive feeling that she knew was dark and twisted. It was in her head. Her soul. Frisk arose from the spot that she had miraculously survived her fall. She brushed herself off. She knew that this, Chara, was dangerous, and yet her curiosity was getting the better of her, "who are you and why am I here?" She knew she was speaking to thin air, but she still wanted answers.

 _*You feel like there is something dangerous about this place. The eerie chill of the air fills you with weariness. Do you have the DETERMINATION to continue?_

Frisk shook her head slowly. She was in a mountain, cold, alone, and scared. No matter how hard she tried she could not shake this feeling of dread. It was overbearing and stagnant. It permeated the air like a toxic chemical. She could not let her fears wash over her so easily. If she indeed survived this fall, all she could do was push forward. It was just a mountain right? All she had to do was find a way out and then… she paused. Did she really want to go back to that cruel unforgiving world? What was the point? Her heart sank for a moment before trying to cheer herself up, "Put on a smile, Frisk! You can get through this!" She made her way through one of the arches beyond. An insignia loomed overhead. It looked like it had been worn by the passage of time. She could not make out any of it, but it made her uncomfortable. She pressed on, yet, that symbol seemed to send a chill up her spine.

The cool mountain air felt stale with dust. As she walked the catacombs of the abandoned ruins, she could see a spot where light pooled out of the ceiling of the cave. A lone flower stood in the indirect rays.

As she neared it, she realized that the pool of light was coming from the ceiling. It was strange. How could light be so far down in a deep dark cavern in a mountain? The lone golden flower that stood in the center seemed to emit its own light as she approached. She knelt down gently to examine it. The golden flower was dazzling but it had sustained some damage. One of its lustrous golden petals was torn in two. It looked like someone or something had tried to rip it from the ground where it now stood. The signs of abuse surrounded its flood of light. It's once lush, green home, blackened with soot and char. Her very presence disturbed the ashen soil in which it now lay kicking up wildfire laden debris into the air surrounding it. Her mood solemned as she stared at the sight. The parallels between her and this suffocated flower were uncanny. It almost reminded her of herself. "Who would do something so cruel to such a pretty flower?"

The damaged flower continued to sway back in forth amidst its peaceful slumber. Such a thing was a rarity here as Flowey woke with a start, whipping around to face the voice. "P-please don't hurt me!" Shielding his face with his leaves, he hesitated before staring up at the speaker. "Oooooh no. No. No. No. No. No. No! What are you doing here?!"

Frisk nearly fell back in shock when the flower started to speak. She did not know what to do other than tilt her head in confusion.

The flower seemed to try to shoo her away. " You need to hide! If you're seen, they'll kill you!"

At her shock and confusion, he sighed then cleared his throat. "Howdy! I'm Flowey. Flowey the flower! Okay, NOW we know each other. You're in the Underworld, kid!" His expression changed to one of seriousness, "Listen to me! Please! You have to hide before you're found! The monsters down here will **kill** you on sight!"

Frisk blinked in surprise before smiling, "It's nice to meet you, Flowey. My name is Frisk." Her heart skipped a beat for a split second "M…..monsters?"

"Y-yes! Monsters. You know about monsters right? You've heard stories?"

She knew all too well about the stories of ruthless monsters that were supposed to be trapped in the bowels of Mt. Ebott. She felt her hands shake slightly. She had jumped from one Hell into another. She plastered a fake smile on her face, but on the inside, her soul was shaking in fear. "O….oh I...I see. Well, maybe they will help me."

"W-What?! Are you crazy? They'll just as soon kill you than help you! Aren't you listening to anything I am saying kid?!"

A blast came out of nowhere, hitting Flowey, and flinging him across the room.

"What a disgusting creature." Came the voice of a tall goat like quadruped, "Oh my, a human!?"

She looked up at the goat being abruptly. Before her was a monster that loomed over her in a threatening stance. She looked over toward her flower friend that was now strewn to the opposite side of the ruins. "Flowey!" Her heart sank deep into her chest. She didn't know if running would work.

The creature stood to its full height over her small frame, shrouding her in its shadow. It was in the shape of a goat, something she had glanced over earlier. Its shaggy fur must have been white once but now had yellowed and was discolored in tone. Its eyes held a similar discoloration in the sclera, as it looked down upon her with menacing white teeth pulled into an unsettling grin. Its eyes were rimmed with a red discoloration showing its sleep deprivation. Amber eyes stared down the frightened human with a hint of mirth dancing like fire within them. The seemingly flaming eyes contradicted her signs of exhaustion. A jagged mouth was carved into its muzzled face and two twisted obsidian horns protruded from the top of its head. A set of long, floppy dog like ears framed its face. Distressed robes hung on its tall frame and ended just below the creature's knees. The fabric it adorned seemed to be losing its strength with the monsters every passing step. Its inky color appeared faded at the edges, giving way to the splayed fibers of the fabric underneath. The color seemed to engulf the goat like being as if it was some kind of mourning clothing.

A strange runic symbol stood out against the black robes, its shapes spreading outward as if to symbolize a set of outstretched wings. The threads were splotchy in color as if someone had dyed the symbol crimson, which was its current state. Some spots of white could be seen but very little. Lining her robes was a golden fabric that, just like the entirety of its attire, looked worn and discolored. Once long ago, it might have shone with a beautiful, metallic, golden brilliance that would have sparkled like the sun. It was a fabric fit for royalty. Even her robes seemed to emanate a sense of past regality. Golden runic trims lined her cuffs, hem (what was left of it), and neckline. Underneath her robes was a matching black tunic that just extended past the supernatural entity's forearm. Its robes tapered downward to give way to a pair of discolored white haunches. From the soft feet, Frisk saw her claws like chips of obsidian that glistened in the lack of light, casting an eerie and almost sinister reflection. They were sharper than any knife she had ever set her eyes on and all the more deadly. Like a curved blade, the creature's claws curved in a mild arch, only to end in a sinister point. On the underside, the claws represented the jagged teeth of a switchblade. It was most likely due to wear; however, the edges were jagged and sharp almost looking like the ridges of a house key. _A fallen Queen_. The sight was unnerving.

Frisk was rattled from her observations to come crashing back to the reality that was presented in front of her. She was in front of a menacing looking monster, and her golden companion had been forcefully flung to the opposite side of the desolate space. She could barely see if he was moving. The thought of losing him even though they had just met caused her cobalt blue eyes to fill with tears. The goat creature stood before her as an impenetrable wall. She was helpless. A gruff and guttural sound escaped the creature before it opened its jagged maw to clear its throat. The voice that reached her ears was not at all what she expected from such an alarming monster. The voice was melodious and had a hint of motherly protective instinct.

Toriel was delighted to see another human, yet another human child! How long had it been since the last one that she held closely in her arms tears staining the fur of her cheeks. They had left permanent trails onto her discolored white fur adding to an even more unnerving look. It caused the fur to become discolored with tracks of past mourning showing in a faded crimson. Massive discolored paws folded themselves on top of one another in an attempt to keep the child comfortable. It can be rather shocking to see a monster for the very first time. She remembered it well, the look on a human's face when they first learned of their existence. The fear and apprehension in their eyes as she held her hand out to each of them. What horrible stories had the humans been spreading about them on the surface? After all their injustices, the humans continued to tarnish monster reputation. All they had become were nightmares and boogeymen. Nothing but human prattle and mad ravings. This human before her did not seem to be as vexed as the others had been. All her poor sweet children oh how she missed them so. They would always be with her. They always were with her. Their voices, their laughter, their smiles. All of them were still here. They would now have another sister to be a part of their little family. She opened her mouth to speak as she stared at the child in front of her. Her eyes were soft and kind but held a kind of desperation in their citrine depths, "Hello, my child. Do not be afraid, I am here to help you. Why don't you come with me?"

Frisk was surprised by the sudden motherly tone that ended up coming from her after she had just seen the creature's fiery rage, no pun intended. Her appearance excluded, she seemed desperate for something, and Frisk could not just let the poor anthropomorphic suffer. A small hand reached toward the one extended out to her. She was still horribly worried about Flowey, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that he was no longer where he had been thrown. She was still afraid of what was going to become of her as her feet, once cemented in place, moved on their own accord rather reluctantly. It was as if she was moving through quicksand as the goat creature enveloped her small hand with their large paw and began to make their way through the ominous archway that loomed over them. It could have been due to monster stature. Its height appeared to tower over her in all its ruined glory. That, or she was just a small thing to begin with. It was quite clear that it was meant for a monster perhaps even larger than the one she now had as a kind of escort. At first, she thought this might be a kind of sick dream manifested by all the nightmarish stories of monsters that the village used to feed her on a daily basis. She would be one mad enough to dream up something so dark and disturbing, but this was not the case. Monsters were real, living, breathing creatures exactly as Flowey had mentioned. Ones that wanted her head on a silver platter, for what purpose the young human could not place. Her flower friend had been vague on his details about the society in which seemed to rule this underground world.

The human child's apprehension and fearful gaze was not lost on the once mother of many as she crouched down to Frisk's height with the sweetest smile she could muster. Another yellowed paw came to rest on the child's head as claws combed through the human's auburn locks. In her mind this was going to be the last one. The last human child that was going to leave her. The last human child to suffer in their world. A world that she had removed herself from long long ago. The child in front of her was proof that she was not forsaken. Those blue eyes that bore into her. They were the final piece and one she vowed as she tried to comfort the human in front of her that _they_ would never obtain. Her voice was calm and steady as she spoke for fear of startling the youth, "Ah, do not be afraid my dear. I am here to help you. I am Toriel, banished to this dreadful place we call the Ruins. I pass through every day to see if anyone has fallen down. You are the first human in a very long time. Come! I will guide you through the catacombs." A small speech, but Toriel knew that the more she spoke, the more she would ease the young one's mind of any ill thoughts that they may have been subject to. They had been with the weed earlier, so it was of no surprise that her initial reaction was one of fear. She hoped that she was able to assuage their small mind into a kind of mild sense of security. Standing to her full height, she once again looked at the child. They were around 5'5" with a thin build. Some might say too thin due to the way their purple and yellow sweater seemed to hang on their small frame. It drowned them in a light knit fabric and long sleeves that extended just below their wrist. The sweater had a turtleneck piece that caused the child to be able to hide their face into it due to its size. A normal human would have fit in the garment just fine but this young one did not. From what she could see, she also saw a pair of white crew socks that ended just above their ankles and a pair of brown flats that looked worse for the wear and horribly uncomfortable. There were scrapes and lacerations on the human's two pale legs that caused Toriel to begin to worry. They had fallen quite a long way and not without injury. She would ask as any concerned mother would about that in due time. For now she would lead them to her home at the other end of the catacombs.

Frisk could feel the warm fur brushing just gently near her face before a paw came to land on her head. It was a gentle gesture, one a mother might use to reassure their child. It made Frisk feel a little comfortable. _Maybe Flowey was over exaggerating. Maybe he had been lying to her._ She did not want to believe that the first person, or rather monster, that she met would deceive her in such a way, but she had to be careful. For now, she would follow Toriel to where the goat monster wanted to take her. The words catacombs and ruins caught her attention. So that is what they were? It did seem rather void of any life for it to be a kind of monster haven, but Frisk knew nothing of monsters, only what she had been taught and the stories. She did not believe in absolute evil. Anyone could be evil or good, it just depended upon their actions. Frisk did find it rather endearing that Toriel, as she was now named, continued to call her a child. She was in fact, a young adult, but she supposed to a monster of such stature that she would be seen as such. Her thoughts began to drift as she walked with Toriel, leaving the place of her fall behind. The small sliver of light seemed to grow smaller and smaller the deeper they made their way through the catacombs. Something within Frisk told her that natural light would be something she would not be seeing for a very long time.

 _October 7th 201X_

 _End of Entry..._


	2. Grow UP!

**Welcome to the Underworld  
** _{Log 1: The Ruins_

 _Entry 2: Grow Up}_

Darkness. Every single twist and turn of the catacombs yielded to even less visibility than before. She was unable to see anything directly in her vicinity as her eyes strained to differentiate the shapes lurking in the gloom as Toriel led Frisk onward. As before, the darkness down here seemed to have a mind of its own. As if it wanted to reach out and grab anyone and anything that it could get its inky tendrils on. The thought was unnerving, disturbing, and most of all bone chilling. Toriel had been quiet for a good portion of their journey, only to support Frisk from stumbling a few times due to the lack of visibility in this place. The Ruins were so far, not her favorite as she had to admit that she was not a fan of the darkness. She had been in it for so long, trapped in a room with but a small window. The room was furnished warmly hiding its true purpose. In the eyes of others, she was an object. The lavish room was supposed to be everything she could have ever wanted, only literature, would appease her boredom in such a prision. She could almost hear the children outside playing from those icy unforgiving bars. A small girl reached her slim dainty hand through her gilded cage, desperately searching for something she would never obtain. It an almost cruel and sick promise to what lay behind those horrid walls. No one wishes such ill fortune on oneself. She could not prevent that with what she had been born with. Her soul had been prized above any other, and she did not understand why. She had been but a child during those times. Her only solace were the books that she was able to attain for her own amusement. It was the way that she had learned how to be so eloquent with her words like a young adult should. Her shy demeanor caused her to be silent unless spoken to. Even when she had come out of her shell, she had been punished, and eventually that had worn her down. If she spoke out of turn it meant pain, a conditioning that still plagued her with nervous involuntary actions. The prolonged silence of The Ruins gave Frisk time to thoroughly examine the architecture surrounding her. The walls were a deep purple hue that mimicked that of stone masonry. Something that she remembered reading about in one of the many books she used to escape her daily life on the surface.

Stepping through another crumbling archway rested the gateway leading to the remains of what used to be a thriving monster city. A once great capital that now stood in disarray and decay thus aptly named, The Ruins. The entire length of this place seemed to be dimly lit, casting an eerie purple glow that turned the entire structure into an spooky palette of charcoal and mauve. The cold hues of the brick lined the walkway stretching onward as she continued to traverse down the halls. On the floor were scattered red leaves that seem to have dried up, filling in some of the cracks within the cobblestone path. As she walked along the deteriorating bricks, vegetation had slowly begun to consume and worm its way through the architecture. Their twisting vines slowly crept up various walls and into dark recesses along the passage. The walls further along crumbled in places as the vegetation continued its invasion of the structure. They pushed bricks out of place along the damp walls and created chipping in others as the overgrowth attempted to break free. Even the foliage down in the Underworld, a title given to this place by Flowey, seemed violent in nature. The vines tried to reach for a non existent light source as they slithered upward only to find more darkness. Even though Frisk could tell they were inanimate, it did not prevent the tricks that her eyes began to play on her. She could have sworn she saw something within the confines of the dark hallway as they walked. The goat monster just beside her did not seem to hold any concern, so she just led Frisk on their way. She went back to observing her surroundings, eyeing the way the spaces between the bricks seemed to be mortared together with what looked like a black cement. The deep purple and black tones seemed to progress as finally a light seemed to approach as they neared another room. What Frisk thought was initially a deep purple, due to the lack of light, was a faded mauve color. The vines she had taken extra interest in before were no longer shadowy in appearance, but were a vibrant, lush hue of green that stood out against the austere backdrop of mortared brick. What she had not noticed before was the fact that there were thick thorns adorning them as if they were the stem of a rose. It was almost as if the vines themselves had adapted to their harsh environment, mimicking the defensive and unwelcoming landscape.

Frisk desired to regain her lost visibility. Her senses had been so muddled here putting her nerves on edge. Finally, as light flooded into her field of vision, she was once again able to objectively observe her surroundings. After being in the dark for so long, it caused her cobalt blue eyes to water. What she had thought was such a lingering path was nothing more than a series of walkways and small rooms. The lack of natural light had made the journey more psychologically menacing than what it actually had been; it would seem that first impressions could be deceiving. What lay before her upon the purple path that opened to a larger room was a grand courtyard. In the center arose a place to plant a tree. Now all that remained was a broken cobblestone square with red leaves surrounding it in a puzzlingly constructed pattern. Frisk thought nothing of it as she gazed onward at the grand granite staircases preceding her. The two sets of grand staircases mirrored each other and at the center was yet another ruby leaf identical flights of stairs rose where the pile of red leaves lay between the two. Like gems, the leaves reflected off their marble surfaces casting an apple red glow on their steps. It was odd considering the vastness of the area, that there were no trees or foliage visible; only the remnants of some decaying except the dead crimson leaves that were scattered about and the treme line of weaving lush vines, thorns, and leaves on either side of the door that greeted her as she glanced skyward.

Toriel proceeded forward up the steps to the right, leaving Frisk to the center of the room. There was not much to look at here as her foot lingered on the top step for a moment as she turned to face the spaces center. A light breeze gathered up her auburn hair gently lifting it to her cheek. How could there be wind underground? That was her first thought. Her eyes fell upon a light. A light that twinkled and glittered like a gem, winking in and out of existence. Its sparkling soft golden glow caused her to take a step toward it. It was beautiful in its own way but also alien. She had never seen anything like it before, but perhaps it was a monster thing? Toriel had moved on ahead and seemed to pay no mind to it. It drew her in closer and closer, step by step. She lifted a lean t-shirt clad arm watching the twinkling star as the fabric pulled back to reveal her small hand. There was a warmth emanating from the strange phenomenon. She placed her hand upon it in a trance like state. Another gust of wind lifted her hair upward and swirled around her bringing the scattered red leaves of some unknown tree with it. It was like something one might find in a fantasy book. A warmth spread through her body as she watched in wonder, the scene that she was becoming a part of. As soon as it had begun, the leaves gradually floated down around her and the once vivid light of the twinkling star had dulled.

 _*The shadows of the Ruins fills you with unease_

The words seemed to float on the dying wind, leaving the poor girl standing there confused and alone, trying to process all that had just occurred. Other than the strewn about leaves, there was no indication that anything had happened except for the dim light of the twinkling star before her. Something urged her forward, though she was unsure to what end. She did not want to return to the surface, but she also did not want to be trapped down here in this place either. The sound of Toriel's voice beckoning her from the top of the stairs snapped her out of her reverie, sending her flying up the steps to meet up with the goat monster in apology. A look of confusion passed Toriel's face, but she said nothing as she stepped through the doorway. Frisk could only assume that it led deeper into the ruins and deeper into the darkness. Before she entered through the archway above, she noticed a plaque above where she now stood. It appeared to glisten in the light as a metal would, but the writing upon was faded and in a language that Frisk does not understand. It must have been some old runic language. She considered perhaps it could have been a language that the monsters once used only to be forgotten with the passage of time.

Unlike the previous archway, this doorway lead into yet another room, though smaller than the one that she had been in previously. Frisk continued to look around the new room, still consisting of the same purple and black palette. Toriel had stopped in front of a large set of double doors that overtook the space. Unlike the room prior, this one seemed to have lower ceilings, making it feel more claustrophobic, reinforcing that she was in an underground environment. The front of the door was decorated with a type of symbol. It spanned both the double doors with a metallic glint that seemed to shine in what little light the room provided. It told her that someone had taken good care of the sigil. It looked like wings that spread to opposite sides of the door. The detailed metal work showed every feather that adorned it. Just below the symbol were an intricate set of triangles, three to be precise. Both spires on the right and left pointed upward, while the one to the lower middle pointed downward. In between the wings was what looked to be a halo that was surrounded by the feathers. Frisk did not notice it until she turned to Toriel to ask about this place, but it was the same symbol that adorned her robes. It must have been a symbol of great significance to the monsters here. A significance that she had yet to learn or to question.

Toriel had a smile on her face as she waited for the child to make it fully into the room. Now was her time to teach the young one about the dangers that lurked within The Ruins. Her eyes closed as she stood over by metal pressure plates on the floor. A simple door puzzle, "Now my dear, we monsters love our puzzles and traps, so you must be careful. I will open this door for you." Toriel's paws landed on a sequence of plates that caused the double doors to swing wide open. The rune lurched outward with the door to the left of them, revealing another descent into a room she could barely make out. The sound of water beyond piqued her interest after only traversing long hallways and dark corridors. Another motherly instruction overtook her ears after she focused on the sounds of rushing water, "Come along dear. We have quite a way to go till we reach my home on the other side of The Ruins."

Frisk nodded her head in silent acknowledgement to her now goat guardian. She surely did not want to end up falling into some kind of deadly trap. It was almost a contradiction as puzzles were supposed to be fun, while traps were supposed to be deadly. The next room, like the others she had passed through, displayed the same masonry with a lighter colored pathway leading closer to the sound of water rushing beyond. Here and there, lines of brightly colored vines and leaves wove their way up the walls. As the sound of water drew even nearer than before, Frisk was finally able to see it. It was a waterway about a lap pools width, that ran right through the middle of the room splitting the walkway into sections. The light purple pathway stretched onward from what she could see from her vantage point. Ahead of her stood a rickety bridge, the planks rotting away in places. She could see water rushing below as she leaned over to examine the woodwork. It looked like the rot in the planks had been due to erosion of the rushing water beating against their organic bones. Frisk was a little afraid to step onto the walkway for fear of plummeting into the dark water below. A few moments of contemplation, and Toriel had crossed the bridge with ease. It must have been sturdier than the human originally anticipated. Another gentle, "Come along, young one," could be heard as Frisk's eyesight raised to look up into amber eyes that beckoned her over the ancient woodwork.

Toriel could instinctively feel the humans hesitation before they stopped completely to peer at one of the old bridges they would have to cross. Originally, it had been a kind of puzzle, but over the years it was annoying to have to solve it every single time she passed by. It would always reset after another did the same. She had built the bridge long ago, but the water underneath had worn it down at least twice as fast if not more. The human looked concerned, so as a show of faith, Toriel took one step forward onto the creaking planks and safety made it to the other side. She had gently let go of the girl's hand as she did this, causing her to hold her arms open in a hug to ease them across. There was additionally one more obstacle they would have to tackle before they could advance into the next room.

A hesitant step forward resounded with a terrible creaking noise that set Frisk on edge. The monster on the other side had their arms out to her. A way to assuage her fears of falling through the bridge and being suffocated from the shadowy water that ran below. The wooden planks seemed to groan horrifically in protest, each knot looking more and more like a set of eyes. Each grain looking like tears only to end in a horrified "O" shaped pattern reminding her of a screaming face. They all looked like they were being tormented in agony as she tread lightly over each of them. They looked alive, until finally her feet met with solid ground. Her legs had lightly begun to shake as she stood there, happy that it was all over.

After regaining her ability to walk without quaking she rushed into Toriel's arms. One short walk later and Frisk spied an odd set of yellow levers on the wall to her left. It had a black base plate with bright yellow metal framing, and the same yellow metal was the lever itself. The distance made it difficult to interpret the many yellow painted markings that surrounded the device, but Frisk could infer that they were a type of visual instruction. The first set of markings to the left looked to be hashed lines possibly representing the bridge she had just crossed. A few arrows also pointed to the device possibly for extra clarification on which lever to pull. The lever already seemed to have been pulled downward most likely by Toriel in an effort to be able to make her way through these catacombs in a more timely manner. Just beyond was yet another bridge near identical to the last.

Meanwhile, Toriel had already proceeded over the ancient woodwork to stand at the other side as before. This time she did not reach her arms out to Frisk; perhaps it was a way of testing to see if she could handle herself. This time, Frisk ignored all the warning signs and hastily made her way over the bridge leaving the dark depths of the rushing water in her wake. The room itself felt oddly redundant, but perhaps it was a trick to fool one into a sense of misleading security. One could easily fall into a trap just based upon flawed assumption alone. Just as before, the same visual cues pointed to an identical lever to her left hand side. This time however, there was a second lever that had no such markings and had not been pulled. The curiosity was enough to cause her to wonder what kind of deadly or vexing trap would have engaged if she pulled down on it. Oddly enough, as Toriel made her way toward a narrower passage she attempted to pull on the lever but it would not budge. _So much for that idea._

Toriel had been strangely reticent, only glancing at Frisk to make sure that she was safe from harm. The broken lever beside her Frisk strained to view what appeared to be a smaller hallway. Her line of sight was barricaded by a nearby wall making it difficult to see. It was the same narrower space that Toriel had disappeared into while she foolishly broke away to play with devices of unknown purpose. Picking up her stride, she made it into the opening only to nearly trip over a set of metal grating imbedded into the floor underneath her. At first glance, they appear to be relatively new compared to the stone architecture that they currently resided. Only when she tried to peer into one of the slats within the metal grate did she realize its function. Just like in a tomb hunting adventure game the pressure applied to the plate would cause a nasty set of spikes to push up through the grating and into the target. Toriel was not joking when she said that monsters like their traps. Their deadly traps to be more accurate. Afraid that standing on the grating would be the cause of her untimely demise, she jumped off them, only to end up in another small room. This time the walls were barren of any foliage except the two sets of vines that framed the doorway just to her left. The motherly being had stopped at a small training dummy that was placed to the side of the room. She wondered why that had been there in the first place considering the randomness of its placement. It would seem that one should not question the ways of monsters, especially now that she was a guest in their world.

Toriel had her paws folded in the front of her as she awaited the human that appeared around the corner. At first she was afraid that they had left them, and mild panic set in as it usually did. _Not another one. Oh stars, not another one. Please, no no by-._ That's when the human walked around the corner and put her troubled broken mind at ease. Her jagged maw pulled up in a reassured smile as the human confused by the dummy that now stood before them walked closer to them. Toriel wanted this human to prove their worth after so many losses. So much pain that she had to endure as her children were thrust out into that cruel and unforsaken world beyond her door.

Frisk noticed that Toriel was watching her expectantly. It took her a moment to look over the strange ornament adjacent to her. She examined it gingerly. It had an oval shaped head with two black button eyes. One of them was barely held together as the thread pulled the button away from it's stitched face. It looked like it had an adorable mouth which was made by the seam that ran under the top half of the dummy. Its little body was nothing but the shape of a bean that ended in a base that could be interpreted as it's legs. It had patches here and there, the worn fabric contrasting in places due to the variety of material chosen. It looked too cute to be just a dummy. She almost wanted to stay and pat its head.

The human's reaction to the dummy had Toriel confused. Naturally, it was a training dummy meant to be used to increase one's physical prowess and physique. The human just seemed to stare at it with a smile on their face. It was an odd reaction. Clearing her throat after she had not spoken in quite some time, Toriel began her tutorial, "My dear one, I am afraid that other monsters here are not as kind as I. It is highly likely the monsters here will attack you. However, worry not! I need to know that you can defend yourself. Why don't we try attacking this dummy as practice?"

Frisk was confused as to why Toriel was so concerned that she would not be able to hold her own. Her gaze fell on the goat monster, no mother, that now had a pleading look within the depths of their seeming fire hued eyes. The emotions that swirled in those eyes gave her the feeling that Toriel felt like she was losing Frisk right in front of her. Her presence dictated otherwise, but the fear twisted on her face for but a moment even though she was standing right in front of her. To Toriel, she was but a phantom of those before her. Those that Frisk did not even know of. She turned her attention to the cute, harmless dummy that her goat escort had suggested she practice on. Its smiling button eyes seemed to tell her it was ok, but it looked too helpless. Another glimpse at Toriel out of her peripheral vision told her that she needed to prove herself. That was when something strange happened. As she approached the stuffed creature, she found the world falling away into blackness, at first it scared her until the dummy appeared in front of her all white, as if it was being isolated. A few seconds later and a throbbing feeling began to emit from her chest. It was not painful, but it did feel strange as a glowing heart just about the size of a volleyball emerged from her chest. It's bright, brilliant, cobalt glow seemed to light up the space she now was trapped, adding to the vision she was experiencing. She could no longer see Toriel, it was just the two.

 _*You encounter the Dummy_

 _Dummy- ATK 0 DEF 0_

 _*It has a cotton heart and a button eye_

Frisk had a feeling that this information that came to her like a soft whisper was important, yet she did not understand its significance. This odd monochromatic vision stayed with her as she looked at the dummy. She smiled at it at first before raising her hand and bringing it down to pat its head, "You're the apple of my eye."

 _*The dummy stands around absent mindedly_

It seemed to Frisk that though she was stuck in this black and white world, so was the dummy. She decided to try and hold a conversation with it, still not wanting to do the poor thing harm. She did not think she could make herself even hit a poor defenceless dummy. It seemed to her that even though it appeared to be inanimate that there was more to it than first appearances.

 _*It does not seem like much for conversation but appreciates your kindness. You have made a new friend?_

The black and white vision seemed to melt away as if she was pulling lenses off her eyes. Her once glowing heart, so vivid in hue and light, was now fading away to leave her in the same place she was before. The dummy seemed to have a small smile on its stitched face that Frisk could have sworn was not there before. Toriel, on the other hand, had her eyes furrowing in a look of concern and disappointment. There was only one word that Toriel said as she turned her back to Frisk to continue down the next archway, "Troubling."

The next room appears to be empty, save for the leaves and vines creeping up the walls like so many rooms prior. This entire place seems to be infested by plant life but not much else. The room is strange to her as Toriel once again proceeds beyond her field of vision. Why would someone build a room with no purpose? Frisk now had begun to think like the monsters she was now living amongst. If they loved traps and puzzles as Toriel had claimed, then there was a reason this room existed. It had some unknown purpose. As she looked around, she noticed a hole in the wall. It looked as though someone had removed the pieces of bricks that now lay scattered on the ground. The hole was no larger than the size of a small creature perhaps a badger or even a smaller wild cat. Frisk peered inside only to see something move within the darkness. Only when it came into the light timidly did she understand what it was. It must have been a monster no taller than just below her knee. It had the appearance of a white frog with a black circle on its stomach and a little face within it. It was actually charming and Frisk reached her hand out to the creature. It poked its head out as if looking for someone before looking at Frisk's hand. It looked like it had been burned before and she felt bad for the poor thing, "Come on, I am not going to hurt you." Just then Toriel appeared behind her causing the small Froggit to scramble away into the darkness it was currently taking residence. Toriel had startled her as she stood up to brush off her knees of purple dirt. It stained her knees ever minimally the same color as if it were like some kind of chalk. _Wait chalk? Odd_. Observation told her to pay more attention to the room itself. Toriel, meanwhile, had her arms crossed looking down at her with a glare of chagrin, "Come dear, let's move along and do be careful."

Taking the room in its entirety, Frisk noticed the strange way the path was laid out. It was not linear like the ones before. It had to be a kind of clue. As she left, she heard a small ribbit from the corner that she had heard for the monster she encountered from earlier. Now that Toriel was gone, it seemed to feel secure coming out of hiding. She paid the frog no heed though she would be lying if she said leaving the creature did not made her sad. Her journey would proceed. She pushed forward only to find herself standing next to Toriel. The bridges before that spanned the water were made of wood, but the pathway, if one could even call it that, that she stood in front of was made of metal instead. At first, it started as a wooden dock that led few steps toward a horrific sight. The bridge was nothing but a series of metal spikes. Their spires gleamed wickedly as if taunting her. There was no visible or immediate way across that she could observe, which meant only one thing. These spikes had to be a part of some kind of puzzle. Some of them gleamed with metallic brilliance while others seemed to be coated in a white powder like substance upon closer inspection.

Toriel did not understand this human's kindness and how soft they truly were. She had always thought of humans as creatures filled with resolve, but this one seemed to contradict her initial speculations. The others had fought the dummy and even managed to damage it, but this little one was content with a mild pat on the head and a one sided conversation. It was troubling as she proceeded from room to room. This human could not handle what lay before them. She stopped at the bridge puzzle taking in the human's reactions. She wanted them to try it by themselves, but that was a poor idea, "This is the puzzle but… Here, take my hand. I don't believe you are ready for it yet." Gently, she took the humans small hand and began to proceed forward toward the bridge. As she applied pressure to the corresponding plates, the spikes receded, creating a walkway through their deadly spires. Step by step, they finally made it to the end, and Toriel let the girl's hand fall to their side before responding in her motherly tone, "Perhaps puzzles are a little too dangerous for now."

There it was, the final test. If the human could pass this, there would be hope for them yet. She maintained her pace, as the next room seemed to stretch forever and ever and ever with no end in sight. Turning to the human, she knelt down to place a hand on the top of their head, "Here we are, young one. I must ask a favor of you. I would like you to walk to the end of the room by yourself." With those words said, she stood and took a few steps backward further into the long corridor.

Frisk, having now been left to her own devices, blinked in surprise. Toriel had just left her standing in an unknown room, with possibly even more horrifying puzzles to solve. The puzzle from before seemed to have no solution. The feeling of the unknown caused her to flinch. She watched as Toriel made quick work of the path beyond only until she was nothing but a small dot in her line of sight.

 _*You are filled with an overwhelming sense of concern for the path that stretches before you as it appears to have no end._

The room seemed to be darker than the rest but perhaps that was due to its length. It stretched beyond anything she could possibly fathom. It was not like the other rooms that she had been in prior to this one. It made her self conscious about how she would proceed. Its length was daunting, even though logically, there had to be an end to it. When you were trapped within a strange world, alone, in a dark corridor, it was understandable that you would feel a sense of concern. Frisk was not going to get anywhere just by standing around. Almost as if through obligation alone did Frisk's legs begin to take small steps forward. One after the other. Her flats made a soft noise against the floor as it echoed off the walls and all the way down. One. Two. Three. The pathway seemed to alternate to the right then the left as she passed by walls of vines. This room felt so empty and lifeless. There was no substance to it as she passed by more and more vines littering the walls. The only thing that was finally left in the inexplicably long corridor was a stone column. It looked very similar to the ones that she had seen before. The only difference was that the column was intact without so much as a blemish. If the monsters made all these building and columns, Frisk was excited to see what other artistic beauty they had constructed. The end of the room finally was in sight as she stopped to look around.

A sound resounded from behind the column. It sounded like clapping? _That was odd_. Toriel stepped out from behind the column she had been examining earlier, clapping. She had a proud look on her face, as if Frisk were her own kin that had taken their very first step. She did not know how to react. _Had this all been a kind of test?_ Nonetheless, she smiled and was happy for the short lived praise. Frisk had to question how much longer it would take for her to make it to Toriel's home. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that this place was more of a labyrinth of puzzles and traps. All of which had been set for the sole purpose of hurting another. The spike puzzle in the room behind her immediately came to mind. Toriel's voice snapped her from her thoughts, "Very good. Very good. I am so proud of you, my dear. I was concerned at first, but you did very well. Do not worry, I did not leave you. Thank you for trusting me. I was behind this pillar the entire time, making sure you had the courage to be independent. Now, there is some business I must attend to, dear one. I ask that you remain here, as it is dangerous to explore by yourself. I will give you this CELL PHONE so you can contact me at anytime. If you need anything just call. Be good." The little speech ended with Toriel planting a gentle kiss into Frisk's auburn colored locks of hair. That was when she turned to leave, but not before handing her a little phone.

Frisk, once again being left alone, decided to stay in one place for a short amount of time. Toriel had told her to stay here and so she would, but after a while she had to move. She could not just stand in one place for so long. The next room was a good size with a door to the left and a few piles of red leaves. Just like before, there were no trees to indicate where the red leaves had originated from but they looked like they would be fun to jump into. It reminded her of a fall day where you raked up all the leaves from the front porch and made a pile to hop into. At least what she had read in little newspaper comics. She was drawn to the shine that appeared from the corner of her vision. It was a glittering speck from such a distance but the magnetic pull that drew her was undeniable. This shimmering enigma faded and twinkled just like that of a star in the midnight sky. It was a universal constant that was a part of this world. An object of pure majesty and also mystery. Just as before she placed a hand upon it to be filled with its golden healing energy. The warmth she remembered. experiencing from before had embedded itself within her as it radiated off of her being. This time her eyes fell closed basking in its ethereal power only to have something appear behind her closed eyelids. It was a panel of some sort, all black yet framed in white. It read…

 _*The crinkling of the leaves in this strange place fills you with content_

** _{SAVE}**_

 _October 7th 201X_

 _To be continued..._


	3. Fallen Leaves

**Welcome to the Underworld  
** _{Log 1: The Ruins_

 _Entry 2 P II: Fallen Leaves}_

It was almost as if the sparkling star was re-energizing her and giving her the courage to press forward no matter the circumstances. It might have been a terrifying feeling to others, but Frisk felt its light, its warmth. It consumed her before subsiding to a duller glow just like before. It was almost as if every time she touched it, the star poured its life into her. Her dark inky lashes fluttered open to view what lay before her. A wind of indeterminable location began to subside to leave her auburn hair to lay back on her face. A few blinks later and Frisk returned to the Underworld. She had returned to the murky backdrop of purple themed mason work, obsidian mortar, and red leaves. They made crunching sounds against her shoes as she stepped from the pile back onto the remembered the phone given to her by Toriel for emergency contact. She had not received much kindness in her life and to be given something so valuable warmed her heart. Taking stock of her surroundings, Frisk found herself trying to determine which direction to proceed. A strange sound from behind her caused her to turn, only to to discern the silhouette of a creature standing amidst the doorway directly in front of her.

It was the same frog monster that she had encountered before. It's beady black eyes regarded her cautiously from the opposing doorway. She could not contain the smile on her face as she approached the monster. The voice within the deepest recesses of her mind that assaulted her subconscious was but a whisper. It was almost as if someone was giving her thoughts, answers to her questions without them being asked out loud.

 _*It's a Froggit. Ribbit Ribbit. Meow?_

Frisk shifted her head, "A Froggit huh? That's a cute name." The Froggit seemed to mimic her tilt of the head as she slowly approached. When she was inches from it, the Froggit seemed to cower uncontrollably with its eyes downturned in fear. It was alarmed to death as if it expected some kind of fatal confrontation. How horrible. Even as she casually stooped down to pat its head it looked like it was going to cry. It said nothing, but it did make a whimpering noise and screwed its eyes shut when she placed a gentle hand upon its head. For a few moments, the Froggit continued to shake before opening its little eyes to look up at her. It looked horribly confused as like before with the dummy, everything seemed to fall away into darkness and that vision from before returned. The froggit was pure white in front of her as she pet its soft head. It's eyes and fur reflected the cobalt blue glow that emitted from her chest. It was when she gave it a smile did it meow at her? _Odd_. She shrugged it off, "you're a cutie aren't you? See, I am not going to hurt you."

 _*The Froggit is trying to understand but it can't. It seems to be flattered by your words anyway._

When it started to close its eyes and purr that was when Frisk chuckled lightly. She knew it was a monster, but it was so tiny and darling. Toriel had said that other monsters would mean her harm, but some were just as scared as she had been when she first awoke in this strange place. It was like something out of those otherworld novels. So far it was turning out to be a good experience with many enjoyable encounters. She stood up from her kneeling position with the Froggit to look in the direction of the doorway just immediately to her right. The vision died down, ending the light that emitted from her glowing blue heart. The color seemed to fill back into every part of her vision as everything returned to normal once more. The Froggit made a ribbiting noise and swayed back and forth. It was blushing.

Her progression was halted toward the entrance by the creature at her feet. It seemed as though it wanted to tag along with her on her journey. She did not mind; it would be nice to have some company, that is until she heard another rustling noise combined with the sound of bricks crunching. The Froggit hid behind her feet as she watched a section of the wall begin to crack. A single brick in the mortar sounded like it was being chipped away from the other side, only to end up breaking into pieces and scattering about the floor in a cloud of dust. It was dark inside and appeared to be empty. Her little Froggit friend seemed to pick up her bad habit of tilting her head as it ribbited behind her. Nothing appeared to be happening…

When there were no other strange occurrences, the two relaxed. It was her turn to explore the room beyond with her little frog friend at her side. At first when she stepped through the doorway, she half expected it to be larger, but she supposed after that long hallway anything felt small to her. It was an isolated room with two pools of running water on both sides. Unlike the water over by the bridges, she could see everything clearly. It must have been acting as a spring for the monsters that lived, no, hid in these ruins like the little Froggit. The same froggit she had found hopping up to a podium in the center of the room. Its little face dug through a pink bowl that sat perched. To Frisk, it looked almost like a kind of altar with the white column being used as a pedestal centerpiece. The Froggit seemed to be digging through something. It sounded like a crinkling sound that resembled plastic rubbing together just by the monster's tireless efforts to dig through the bowl. As she approached, it looked up at her with another meow before hopping back down. It was chewing on something.

Frisk inspected the pink bowl to find it filled with candy wrappers. There was a small sign that said take one. She assumed that there was a reason for that note, as she gently placed her hand into the bowl and pulled up one of the brightly colored wrappers. It was red in color, wrapped in a kind of metallic foil. It also had a picture of a cherry on it.

 _*It's a monster candy. It has a distinct cherry flavor. You should save that for later. . . You're going to need it._

Frisk was not too thrilled about the comment that came from nowhere in particular. There was no real reason why her thoughts had turned so morbid. It clearly was not something of her own doing, and yet the words stuck with her. She decided to pocket the candy within the confines of her shorts. The Froggit just stood by the doorway awaiting her return. It was patiently watching her as she approached to head through the archway.

Surveying the rest of the room, there appeared to be a few more piles of red leaves. It struck her as strange that there were neat piles of leaves in different areas of these Ruins. Someone clearly had taken the time and loving effort to tidy up. She was about to make her way toward the first pile before she heard a crunching noise sound directly in front of her. There was no one there to perpetrate such a noise. It took her a moment to realize it was indeed in front of her, but it was below her. The ground a little bit away had begun to protrude, making a small volcano-like structure. Just like a volcano, something burst from the top, causing more strange purple dust to fly up into the air. It took a moment for the dust to clear enough to make a silhouette. It was in the shape of a... _flower!?_

Flowey popped up from the ground shaking his head and coughing the dust from his lungs. He still did not understand how that worked but it wasn't time to question things like that. His eyes were squinted as he peered through the cloud of dust that still lingered. It was only when he caught sight of the human did he fix his posture. He had been badly burned by Toriel's flaming wrath from earlier. She had done so many times before, even trying to forcefully uproot him with killer serrated claws. It did not matter how much he pleaded and begged for her to stop. She wouldn't stop. She acted as if he was a horrifying reminder for her. Her amber eyes were filled with maddened tears as she tugged and tugged.

Flowey perked up, straightening his stem to view Frisk clearly. He was happy to see that the human he had encountered was doing just fine. There were few scratches on them save for the ones they sustained from their fall. He opened his mouth "Frisk! You're...you're ok!" He had his leaf-like arms raised in triumph. He knew he would be able to sustain his own injuries, but the human was another story. If anything, he would be able to reset and try again as he always had before. There was only one problem. As he was strewn across the other side he felt none of that power. The power of DETERMINATION was gone. His power to reset gone with it.

Frisk was afraid of what she was going to see appear from the ground, but when she saw it was Flowey she rushed to his side, eyes glittering with happiness. Her knees fell to the ground in front of her flower friend. She was overjoyed "Flowey! Flowey are you alright! I thought you were dead. I am so happy to see you!" She wanted to pick him up and hold him in her arms. _How was one supposed to pick up a flower?_

Flowey paused for a moment in order to give Frisk her wish. Even though it was unspoken he could tell that there was something within her eyes. It reached out to him and gave him an idea of what she wanted. He was able to do this if he had something to latch onto so he uprooted himself and looked at Frisk.

She noticed that Flowey had pulled his vines up and was looking at her expectantly. Her outstretched arms were filled with a warm embrace as Flowey wrapped some of his vines around her arm to perch right on her shoulder. He was able to stay with her now, "I did not know you could do that, Flowey. Is this comfortable for you?" The animate golden flower nodded his head, "Of course Frisk. This is just an easier way to keep an eye on you." She was surprised that he wanted to tag along with her but happy nonetheless. Flowey moved his head to look down at the froggit that was gazing up at him. A small ribbit and he raised a brow in confusion, "Uh… Frisk, why is that Froggit here?" She blinked before smiling widely, "Isn't he cute? He wanted to tag along." Flowey's look of concern caused him to press his green petals gently against her cheeks. His face changed to look a little more like a monster than a flower, "Friiiiisk… you're killing me here. You need to be more careful. It's a monster, Frisk. Do you remember what I said about monsters?" Frisk nodded but shook her head a little bit afterwards, "But...but he means no harm, and you're a monster too."

Flowey opened his mouth before his petals wilted in response to his lack of answer, "Well I." He could not exactly refute her logic as he was indeed a monster. The same kind that meant her harm or painful agonizing death. He would not let that happen. If the human he was now accompanying had taught him anything, it was that maybe her kindness would triumph. Maybe, just maybe, she would survive and bring hope to this shattered broken world he sorrowfully called home. In an effort to maintain his collected and irritable disposition, he folded his leaves over what he would consider a chest and huffed. He made sure to look away from her with exasperation clear in his voice, "Yeah, okay, it can stick around, but the minute it causes harm, it's gone. You got it, Frisk? Promise me."

Frisk could only pat him on the head gently after he finished his none too threatening vent. A small smile seemed to be painted gently on her face as she nodded in agreement to his terms. She highly doubted the little Froggit had any ill intentions considering if it wanted to attack her, it had many open opportunities to do so. If anything, the little monster had looked just as frightened and lonely as she had before she investigated the pool of light that Flowey had taken residence in. It must have been hard to live in these deserted catacombs without any promise of daylight. Any warmth. Any natural light.

Now that everything was settled, Frisk decided to investigate the red leaf piles just beyond the spot she had her reunion. There was not much to see here as Flowey pointed out rather quickly, so instead she began to proceed to her left. It was almost a combination of a type of hallway as well as a room. Just above the party's heads were two duct-like crawl spaces. There was no way Frisk would be able to climb up there to see where they lead, but the design piqued her curiosity. They could have been a kind of air shaft, but from the ground where they tread, that was not something she could see clearly. Taking a step forward thinking nothing of it, a sound began to fill the room. It sounded like cracking, as if someone had put a microphone up to a piece of thawing ice. It grew louder and more significant before stopping abruptly. Only when Frisk shifted her weight did the floor give way. Flowey grasped onto the ledge they now dangled from and removed himself from his human companion's shoulder. She fell into the darkness only to end up face first in a pile of red leaves. It was not the lightest fall but at least nothing had been broken in the process. It was a shortfall. Short enough that she could still see Flowey peering over the hole in which the floor had given way. She could hear his voice of panic filled dread as he shouted down to her, "FRISK!? Frisk, are you alright?!"

She cupped her hand over her mouth in order to project her voice toward the top of the opening, "Yes, I am alright. Just a little fall, nothing to worry about." Pulling her hand away from her mouth, she surveyed the room into which she had fallen. It looked no different from any others, but there were two doors. One to the left and one to the right. She was unsure of which door to take, "Hey Flowey, I see two doors that I can take. I am just going to choose one ok?" She could hear her flower companion shout back down to her, "Be careful Frisk! You have no idea what is down there!" She nodded, even though he was unable to see the affirmation, and began to take the door to her right. As she proceeded down the corridor, she noticed that it seemed to be getting narrower and narrower. It was not long until she ended up crawling through the square shaped duct she was examining before. This time, however, she found herself on the opposite side of the room. She shimmied so that her feet were positioned outward as she dropped to the ground and blinked. So that was what those strange ducts were for. Monsters clearly had a knack for strange architecture that was for sure.

The look that seeped onto Flowey's face was a mixture of relief as well as anger. The Froggit and Flowey jumped over the rest of the potential pitfalls and ended up at her feet. What she had not noticed before was the fact that the floor looked cracked in some places, but with the lack of natural light it was a detail that she accidently had skipped over. She would pay more attention to that from now on just in case. Flowey pulled her from her observation as he climbed back up onto her shoulder to once again be her shoulder companion. She could feel his green waxy petals slapping her cheek as he squished them together to get her attention, "Frisk, you need to be more careful! How many times do I have to tell you!? Promise me you won't do anything else stupid!" All she could do was nod in agreement before he pulled his leaf like hands away in yet another huff of disapprobation, "Just be careful, got it? I don't want your blood on my hands." His tone seemed less angry than before and more concerned for her well being. Just below her, she heard a meow as the Froggit hopped toward the next doorway. It seemed that there was no reason to stay any longer in this section so they all moved forward.

A very short walk away from the room that Frisk now liked to call crumble and fall, was yet another medium-sized space. The notable observations about this particular room was the odd-looking metal plates that lay before a column of deadly grates. Thinking back to her endeavors previously with metal grating, she could only assume that those grates housed a nasty set of metal spikes. She really did not want to end up like some kind of swiss cheese, so as the party made it to the center of the room, she noticed a rock just inches from the solid plate. Perhaps she could move it so that the pressure of the rock would prevent the spikes from engaging in their deadly game of shish ka bob.

Her companions moved toward the rock in an attempt to push it onto the plate, but their efforts seemed to be in vain. The boulder did not want to budge, and there was little chance that her added help would do any good. Flowey seemed to be tapping the boulder with one of his leaf-like hands as if he was trying to wake it up. She found it curious, but nothing really mystified her anymore. Only when she heard a grumble coming from the same direction did she conclude that the rock was alive.

Flowey's patience had run thin, "Hey, buddy, do you mind moving onto that plate so we can get out of here or what?" There was probably a better way to go about asking, but he really did not care and time was of the essence. He kept his thoughts from Frisk and would until the proper time. His fears of the goat monster ahead kept him quiet for her sake. The rock seemed to not want to argue as it moved into place scaring a sleepy Froggit in the process. The spiked wall descended into the ground, revealing the pathway beyond.

The fatigue started to tug at her energy as her eyes fought to stay open. Their weight caused her to rub at them furiously in an attempt of support. The sooner that they made it to the end of the Ruins, and by association Toriel's home, would she be able to rest her weary body. One would think that a fall from such a height would cause fatigue. Happy to proceed onward, they all made their way toward the now open pathway with no problems. All she could see from the line of plates was another corridor. She hoped that there would eventually be an end to them as she rubbed her eyes lightly in an effort to maintain her energy.

The room the mismatched party found themselves in was similar to a few halls back. Here and there, the ground seemed to be littered with cracked tile-like flooring. Frisk knew better from before that this ground would easily give way just as it had previously. She approached the outermost tile and placed her foot upon it, much to a very distraught Flowey's protests. All she needed to do was make an opening in the ground so that she could lower herself down instead of falling on her backside. A crumbling noise increased as she applied more pressure until finally it gave way. She had to quickly jump back in order not to fall suddenly into the pit just as she had painfully done before. Peering over the chasm, Frisk lowered herself to her knees to get a better look. This time she could see the floor at the bottom. If she knew anything about the ways of monsters now, it was that they loved hiding clues to their puzzles. What would be a better place to hide the answer than within trial and error or even failure?

Flowey watched silently as Frisk disappeared into the hole of her own creation. This room was tricky even for a monster like him. He knew there was a solution behind it but he never took the time to learn it. It was easier with his abilities to just skip the room altogether, but since he had gained a group, he was not going to leave them behind. The Froggit from before seemed to be looking for the human with a confused look on its frog like face. It stuck it's head down into the fissure in the floor before disappearing all together. Well, it looked like he was alone again as his posture slumped on the unsolved side of the room, arms crossed in provocation. He was grumpy as he waited for Frisk's smarts to save the day.

When Frisk's heels gently tapped the bottom of the opening, she looked around the room immediately. There had to be something in here that would get them to where they needed to go as a group. In this case, it was the simple task of crossing from one side to the other. Like before there was a pile of red leaves that were raked into piles in various places. These leaves were raked in a suspicious manner. Their crimson petals alluded to a potential path to safety from the pitfalls above. A ribbit resonated from above her to drop the small monster into her arms just moments later. He must have gotten bored up there while she was trying to figure all of this out as best as she could, "Hey there little guy. Did you miss me?" She received a head nod as response. How cute, she thought to herself. Upon further inspection, the leaves seemed to make a strange pathway. That could not be a coincidence. She took note of it before heading through the doorway immediately to her right, assuming it would take her back up to the main section as before. If monsters were anything, they were consistent at the very least.

When they returned, she began to step on the tiles the same way the path had been laid out below. She heard Flowey shout once or twice, biting into his waxy leaves with his teeth. He was so nervous, but nothing happened. It would appear that her assumption was correct, so she motioned the others to follow her. Once or twice, either the Froggit or Flowey would accidently step onto the wrong tile and jump back to the safe zone in an effort to save themselves from falling. Once they were all on solid ground, Flowey climbed his way back up to his place on her shoulder while the Froggit was content with following alongside the pair.

Much to Frisk's dismay, there was yet another room, only this time there were three panels. Just behind them stood a bridge with metal grating embedded within its structure. She could only speculate it was yet another set of spikes surrounded by two pools of water. Just as she was about to take another step deeper into the room, a sound hit her ears. It was a ringing sound that reverberated off the walls. She removed the gift from her pocket and placed the receiver to her ear, "Hello?"

*Yes, oh my this is Toriel calling, dear. Did you stay put as I asked?

*Uh… no I'm sorry. I wanted to see you

*Oh dear. Yes, well, do come along. I have a surprise for you when you get here. May I ask your preference of something?

*Yes, of course.

*Do you prefer butterscotch or cinnamon?

*Butterscotch.

*Oh splendid, I will see you soon, dear.

The click of on the other end of the receiver signaled the end of their small conversation. A surprise? She wondered what Toriel would have in store for her. Flowey had an eyebrow raised in question. She had forgotten that he was not there when Toriel had so kindly walked her through a good portion of The Ruins. His expression stayed the same until he gently flicked Frisk on the forehead with a curled up leaf, "Hey, who was that?" Frisk did not know how to reply for fear of being scolded, but she also had nothing to hide. He would find out sooner or later, "It was Toriel." The color seemed to drain from Flowey's bright yellow petals when that name was mentioned, as did their little Froggit friend who looked highly distressed up at her. She had to say something, "It's alright. She helped me. I trust her." Flowey did not look pleased as his flower like face scrunched up in disapproval, "Earth to Frisk, Toriel is a monster of the worst kind! You can't trust her at all. I forbid you from picking up that phone again." She was saddened by his abundance of skepticism, "But she just wants to help, Flowey."

As they continued along, a soft yellow glow had appeared as they walked and talked. It was just on the other side of the plates. It drew her to it as it always had. A magnetic pull that she was unable to break the grasp of. Flowey's arguing seemed to be distant to her as she made her way closer and closer toward the light. Weren't you not supposed to go toward the light? In this case, Frisk needed the kind of re energizing properties the object had in order to continue. It was a matter of necessity, not desire. Stepping over the grating, Frisk barely heard Flowey screech in horror. He half expected to see a Frisk-ka bob, but these traps had been dismantled a long long time ago. Not turning to look behind them, the odd group of companions missed the graveyard of littered stones on each plate. There was nothing left, just rubble, just destruction. Appearances can be deceiving, and thus one must always be on their guard.

There it was, the star that drew her. Her eyes fell upon the light once more. Like the loop she would be doomed to repeat, so did her actions. _Its light twinkled and glittered like a gem, winking in and out of existence. Its sparkling, soft, yellow light caused her to take a step toward it. It was beautiful in its own way but also alien. She placed a hand upon it, feeling the warmth and energy just as she always had._ Why did everything feel so… repetitious? This time words appeared within her vision as she closed her eyes to bask in the star's energy.

 _*Having your friends along side you fills you with happiness for the journey ahead but also dread. The more the merrier? All for one and one for all? Kill or be killed..._

** _{SAVE}**_

 _October 7th 201X_

 _End of Entry..._


	4. Turn it UP!

**Welcome to the Underworld  
** _{Log 1: The Ruins_

 _Entry 3: Turn It UP!}_

Now re-energized by the power the star retained, Frisk opened her eyes to turn toward her group of companions. The first few times that she had gone about saving, as she now felt it was supposed to be classified, she had been alone. Naturally she expected time to stop as she did this action but instead she had two monsters staring at her with perplexed and concerned looks on both their inhuman faces. The froggit had his head swayed to one side with his little black beady eyes squinting as if trying to understand. Flowey on the other hand just looked baffled with one eyebrow raised in a standing question. She half expected him to yell at her for touching strange objects but Frisk was discovering more and more that not everyone could see or do what she could. Even among a world of abnormality her uniqueness persisted. Somewhere in the back of her mind a word was whispered sadly between passing thoughts. _How unfortunate_.

Flowey just watched as Frisk stood there near a small circular shaped table to the side of the room. He did not understand why she had just ceased to reach her hand out and close her eyes. He craned his stem like neck to try and see what she might have been focusing upon, but to him there was nothing there. He settled back onto his place upon her shoulder and just waited. She seemed to be in a trance like state even with her eyes closed she did not react to any external stimulus. What was up with this kid? He thought silently waving a leaf like appendage in front of her face to try and garner her attention. When that failed, his face contorted to one of foreboding. His eyebrows furrowed as he just waited. Waiting for some form of life to come back to her. It was scary for him to not be able to reach her even with gentle shaking and verbal reassurances. When she opened her eyes to give him that soul melting and heart warming smile that felt like sunshine to such a poor sun depraved flower, he was elated. He never thought just a simple smile would make his life meaningful, but that's what this human was doing to him. Maybe if there was hope for him then there would hope for them all. He settled back into his usual aloof air, "Hey Underworld to Frisk. Why did you just end up standing around? We have ruins to escape. The next time you want to just zone out do it in a place you can't get so easily maimed. Geez kid, think next time."

So they really could not see it after all, Frisk thought to herself as she patted Flowey reassuringly on the head. They were unable to see or experience what she had just a few moments prior, and she was sure that there were more of those stars twinkling ahead down her path. She just needed to stay resolved with the path she had chosen, "Sorry Flowey, I will think about it more next time. Let's go." To the left of the now drained star was a tiny mouse hole.

 _*Knowing the mouse may one day get the cheese fills you with DETERMINATION_

Frisk did not question the strange thought about such a mundane detail, but she continued onward as if it had little to no significance. She had not even seen the cheese set atop the table opposite to the mouse hole until she had turned her head. The question was how did she know about it if she had not seen it yet. The almost transcendent knowledge caused an involuntary shudder to run up her spine. She had to bite back the feeling as she stared at the strange detail. The cheese was probably a cheddar? It seems to have been there for a while as it was stuck to the table it was resting on. It didn't give off a pungent odor or looked moldy in anyway. _How strange._ Sadly as Frisk went to step away she noticed the string. It's braided fiber dangling off the side of the table. The cheese was not stuck to the table as she originally thought, it was stuck to a mousetrap.

Frisk was jolted from her oddly unimportant observations to hear a familiar ring within her pocket. It sounded muffled at first, but as she slipped her hand inside to grab a hold of the device, its ring grew in volume. It reverberated off the walls in an eerie sing songy tune. It was scary how fitting it was to how she had met Toriel, unnerving, sudden, and stressful. She held the phone in front of her staring at the pixelated lighting that appeared on the screen. It did indeed read Toriel calling though Frisk should have known that since there was no one else that would potentially know the number, but when you were in a strange and potentially hostile environment, one does not always think logically. Frisk flipped open the cover before glancing at Flowey. He was silently urging her to let it continue to ring but Frisk just couldn't, "Hello?" Frisk saw Flowey slap his face with one of his leaves.

*This is Toriel again hehe.

* Hello how are you?

*Oh my, asking about my day? I am doing very well now that you are here. Be a good girl and make it home quickly will you? I still have a surprise for you when you get here.

*I will right away. Miss Toriel?

*Yes dear?

*Oh umm… nevermind

*Oh? Alright then, I will see you soon.

The phone went dead after those last words leaving Frisk in silence as she gently closed the cover of the phone sliding it back into its home in her pocket. Flowey was rubbing what might have been temples on the side of his head if she equated his monster flower anatomy to a human's. He did not seem like one for talking right now. She kept ignoring his advice and that was making him upset. After a step forward she stopped to address the tension between them "Flowey I'm sorry I just… I wasn't going to let it ring." Flowey huffed in exhaustion wilting like a flower without proper sunlight "you know what Frisk it's your funeral I am just trying to warn you." He heaved a heavy sigh which looked odd with his wiry frame "but I am not going to try and change who you are either." There was a mild smile on his mouth as he looked up at her. It made her almost want to tear up at how he had treated this. She was beginning to see a change. A positive one and as she did that glimmer of hope grew just a little bit brighter.

The strange mousehole room as Frisk would now call it was very small compared to the other rooms that she had walked through. It's walls were also different in design than the usual brick work she was so used to now. It looked more cave like emphasizing the fact that they were still underground even if the lack of natural light did not make that horribly clear. The walls were like stone, jagged and worn giving way to a strip of pebble inlay below. The little mouse hole was the only thing in the wall that was natural. It was a contrast between new and old something this place had a great abundance of. It lasted till the edge of the room only to dissolve into more catacombs. Just when Frisk thought she would have a change of pace or at least scenery she was back to bricks.

A loud noise like a growl filled the hallway as they stopped in their tracks. The sound was consistent as it rose and fell like an EKG. It's origin was dead ahead as she resumed her slow pace. It was not far when the sound grew louder almost to a decibel level able to shake the very foundation in which they traveled. An exaggeration of course. She was not sure what kind of monster she had conjured up in her imagination as it finally came into view. It was however clear that what she had been imagining was not what was before the group. On a pile of red leaves was a ghost. The kind of ghost a child might draw during All Hallows Eve. It was not disfigured, faceless, or horrifying. If anything it looked rather cartoonish like a paper cut out ghost. The top of its head was rounded and its body came down in a straight vertical only to end in small fabric like tears. The only reason she thought it had been a ghost was the way that it seemed to fade in and out of existence very similar to the stars she had touched.

The ghost looked like it was trying to sleep with its head floating just above the leaves it was under. On the top of its head was a pair of headphones that had the same specter like qualities. That explained the growling noise from earlier. Now that she was in front of it she realized the noise had been it snoring. It continued to snore as Frisk eyed her other companions. The ghost was blocking their way out of here and it was not proper to just walk through someone that was not tangible. She had to think about how she was going to politely ask the spook to move so that they could be on their way. Froggit seemed to have a different idea as he hopped up to the creature and bumped it with its head. All it did was cause the ghost to turn its back to them probably in annoyance. Frisk did not blame him for that. She walked up to the sleeping ghost and stood very close "Excuse me would you mind moving? My friends and I are in a little bit of a hurry so if you would be so kind."

Frisk saw the specter shift as if it had acknowledged her words but proceeded to pretend to be asleep once again. It even went so far as to emphasize its snoring to be louder and more obnoxious. It even appeared to be asking itself if their party had left yet. She decided to try asking kindly once more "I'm sorry to wake you but if you could move? We won't bother you after." Again the same outcome only this time she heard a growl. The more she asked the more upset the ghost became. It was just flat out ignoring her at this point and even she had her limits. Flowey on the other hand was not going to take no for an answer. When she looked over at him still perched on her shoulder she saw that his entire body was stiffened and his leaf like hands were curled up at his sides. She knew he was about to explode but there was not much that she could really do about it; rolling his "fisted" leaves up as if to shake them angrily he leaned a little over her shoulder "hey bub didn't you hear the girl?! We are in a hurry. Out of the way Casper rip off!" Flowey was at the point that steam might have been coming off his petals and his usually pale flower like face was red with frustration.

Flowey was so distraught that he moved down from his perch on her shoulder. He slid down from her arm and onto the ground. He looked like he was on the warpath. Green leaf like appendages flailing about as he made his way to the ghost only to try and shove him out of the way. Frisk was of course concerned by his behavior "Flowey that's not nice of you!" She moved to pick him up but he was batting her away like an angry child "listen Frisk do you want results or not? We need to get by and this transparent marshmallow is blocking the way!" Frisk gave him the kind of look that a mother would give an unruly child "there are other-" The sound of a frustrated groan cut her short.

It turned to face them at first with it's vertical rectangle shaped eyes squinted frustratingly. It's mouth was a thin line until it's physical features altered. What was once a white ghost had now color shifted to a red one. Its eyes changing to angled arches and mouth morphing into a jagged line. If Frisk did not know any better she could have sworn that the ghosts emotional state was depicted physically. Its eyes were dark and haunting like coal pressed into the face of a lifeless snowman. What once appeared to be a small ghost blocking the way seemed to grow in size as if his anger sustained him.

Floating just in front of them, no, towering over them was a very distraught and very irritable ghost. Frisk looked upward as the color started to slowly leach out of their surroundings. She was being forcefully pulled into that strange black and white world that she had with the Froggit and the dummy before. As everything began to turn black and white a darkness began to creep inward leaving her and the ghost as the only two visible participants. The same blue glow appeared from her chest forming into the shape of a glowing heart. It floated just above where the human heart resided within her thumping sporadically.

 _*Here comes Napstablook_

 _Napstablook- HP 88 ATK 10 DEF 10_

 _*A musically inclined ghost with a serious anger management problem._

Without warning a rain of music shaped notes descended upon her head. She had to roll to the side in order to dodge one that was coming straight for her. Frisk could only interpret this as some sort of fight because every time she ended up in this strange mode there was always a conflict. She refused to fight back keeping to the promise that she had made to Flowey. The notes just kept coming down on her. One after the other she had to jump or run to avoid them. Once they stopped the ghost in front of her, now revealed as Napstablook, gave her an incredulous look. She only smiled back gently as if to give him a patient smile. This seemed to enrage him further.

. . . . .

Frisk seemed to get no response out of the ghost but she kept with her gentle smile of empathy before once again having to dodge a series of music note shaped magic. This time though what little color that was in this strange world was a bright yellow. She did not know what that meant until she dodged it only to receive a rather nasty electrical jolt that caused her to not be able to move for a period of time. It had broken open upon impact and supercharged the ground where it fell. She would have to make a note of it again so she wouldn't end up being zapped and paralyzed. Standing helplessly she ended up being bombarded by music notes. They fell down and ripped the left sleeve of her shirt. It was a minor cut but it still hurt. As harmless as the magic looked it had a bite to it like a razor's edge. If she was not careful she might be sliced, diced, and paralyzed. One managed to cut her cheek as she regained her mobility just dodging a yellow note as it fell next to her. When she had been hit her blue heart shuddered and she felt a kind of energy drop as if it was measured on some kind of bar. It caused her to become just mildly more sluggish than before. The attacks stopped.

GO AWAY! I WANT TO BE ALONE!

Frisk shook her head wiping the blood from the cut on her cheek with her thumb "no one wants to be alone. I'm sorry my friend pushed you he just is worried about me. I am sure there is someone who feels the same way about you. You don't need to hide here and be all alone." She smiled again only this time she received a response unlike before.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? HE HATES ME AND I CAN'T LIVE WITH IT! NOW DIE SO I CAN LISTEN TO MY MUSIC IN PEACE!

So Napstablook was upset over something or rather someone. His once jagged mouth seemed to quiver and his angry eyes looked sorrowful. He had taken his grieving to an unhealthy level of anger and violence, possibly a trend that Frisk was beginning to see. He looked as if he were about to cry. Strangely enough that was confirmed when a mix of music notes and what looked to be tears fell toward her. She had ended up making the mistake of being too close to pools of water that were now forming at her feet and the yellow notes just amplified their static shock. The paralysis effect also lasted longer causing Frisk to end up with more cuts and scrapes than before until the attacks subsided. She held her now bleeding arm with her free hand and walked closer to Napstablook "I am sure that's not true at all if you just talked to them I am sure they would understand but you can't do that if you don't try."

 _*You give Napstablook a sympathetic and reassuring smile._

This time she had half expected to dodge more music notes of death but ended up being cried on. The water didn't hurt her if anything it soothed her already weary body. She did not like to see anyone cry. She had gotten through to him this time. He was now floating in front of her smaller than before with rounded black eyes and white pupils. It's mouth was set into an "O" shape as tears came from it's sad eyes "hey now no need to cry."

I usually come to the Ruins because no one is around and I can listen to my music in peace but today I met somebody nice… why were you so nice…

 _*Congratulations! You Won!_

 _EXP 0_

 _LV 1_

The black corners of Frisk's vision seemed to slowly fade away as color and life began to pour back into the world around her. The hallways began to light up and she could once again see her friends. It was always a shocking experience to end up in a world so dull and void of any color to have it be poured back at a moment's notice. Even the glow of her heart dimmed only to vanish back into her chest. The conflict was over. Now that color had returned Frisk noticed that Napstablook was now a blue color very similar to the sky on a sunny day. He still looked sad but soon after he returned to his natural white color. His eyes seemed more friendly than before as he floated in front of them "You looked like you were hurting so I wanted to help. You know I will always be here to listen if you need someone. I'm Frisk by the way it's nice to meet you."

Napstablook watched her silently as his downturned eyes of sadness seemed to brighten. No one had ever given him that kind of opportunity before. Maybe talking would help? This Frisk human seemed to be everything opposite of what their world had become. Like before that small spark of hope began to grow.

Hello Frisk… My name is Napstablook but you can call me Blookie. No one has ever offered to listen to me before usually I am just a weak downer to them. My music and cousins are the only things keeping me going

Frisk picked up Flowey and set him on her shoulder as she spoke with Blookie. He was not angry or mean at all just heartbroken over an event that had happened in his life or rather afterlife. Instead of asking about the already sensitive topic she decided to ask him about his music "you like music you said? What kind do you listen to?" She was standing there with a smile on her face. A stark contrast to the bleeding arm, legs, and face that she had from their fight.

Everything but mostly alternative stuff and rock… heavy metal you know. The sad stuff. It speaks to me….you can listen sometime if you want. It's not that great. Oh…. I'll get out of your way now.

Blooky floated to the side to give them all passage beyond their current portion of The Ruins. The specter floating before her still sounded melancholy but perhaps that was just his intonation of voice. Frisk remembered reading a silly children's book a long time during her isolation about a ghost that was always sad. That's why people always portrayed ghosts moaning in some kind of mourning. Afterlife or not she guessed there was misery everywhere. That was something that deep down she wanted to change "I would love to and thank you!" Blookie gave a short exit as he began to disappear.

Goodbye Frisk the human. Shall we meet again…?

With such little words he was gone and the three of her group from before stood with no more obstacles before them. At least for now that was the case. As she proceeded Flowey seemed to be silent only the sound of crunching leaves underneath her flats could be heard. Some of the bright red leaf pieces stuck to her shoes causing her to shake her foot. The froggit seemed to jump slightly out of the way for fear of being smacked and hopped his way to the next area which split into two. There was nothing to see in this room save for their once ghostly adversary and a doorway as well as a hallway. The hallway was the first stop to continue their journey forward. She was not sure what she was expecting in such a small corridor but the room on the other side was just as barren as the last except for the spider webs that littered the corners of the room and a sign. Their Froggit friend was already standing in front of it with its beady black eyes squinted to try and make it out.

As Frisk approached the froggit looked up at her to make a meow sound of curiosity. _Dang he was so cute._ She was glad that she had made a new friend. He squatted down to observe the sign. She half expected it to be in a kind of monster language not that she knew what that might look like of course. It was a sign that was, in fact, written in English. She took her hand and gently wiped off the dust and cobwebs that had been struck to it. It must have been here for quite some time to have gathered this much dust. It not only stuck to her but also caused her to cough as a cloud of it gathered to fly up into her face. Her lungs were already oxygen deprived from earlier as she attempted to get the debris out of her airway to breathe properly again. Flowey could only pat her back and rub it until her coughing fit ceased. Now able to see what was written she read it outloud "Spider bake sale. All proceeds go to real spiders." The sign seemed nice enough but on a spider web just under it in web like writing read donate or else. The words glistened in the dim lighting looking a little too demanding to her. A bake sale though sounded good to her. She had always had a rather large sweet tooth though she prefered...

 _*You have always been a sweets fiend but your favorite is_ _CHOCOLATE_ _..._

She was not quite sure as to why that word was being screamed in her subconscious but it was loud and very clear. Shaking her head of the strange inhuman screech for the sweet treat she decided to examine a poster on the right hand side taped to the wall. On it was a picture of what looked to be a spider lady. Her purple skin contrasted by the deep crimson dress she was wearing. On the poster it had webbing designs and letters that read _Spider Bake Sale._ It reminded her of the sign that she had seen earlier. There was also a mini menu and instructions.

 _All spider donuts are 5G and all Spider Cider is 100 G. Don't forget to pay dearies I always know and you will always pay your debts and then some._

Frisk raised an eyebrow at the note but turned to Flowey for some guidance. He must know about the bake sale unless he never really left his spot in The Ruins. Flowey had his arm under his face in thought as he squinted at the poster "humm must be Muffet. Do you want one Frisk? Normally I wouldn't recommend it but some food on hand might be beneficial." Frisk nodded in agreement as Flowey motioned her over to two spider webs on the wall next to the poster they had just been examining. Flowey gave her a little advice as he explained how this worked "ok Frisk this is how this works. You just place the gold on one of the webs and a spider will bring you what you ordered. The larger web is for cider and the smaller is for a donut. You can also donate to it if you want but Muffet's kind of greedy."

She gently dug into her pockets to search for the gold that she knew was in there for some reason. She had barely remembered Toriel giving her some earlier but maybe that was because everything had been a blur. It's possible that she missed a few things from before. Placing the golden nugget into the web she was surprised to find a spider descending down to collect the shiny trinket only to disappear into some unknown place. It came back after a few moments carrying what looked to be a pink frosted donut with white webbed decoration and blue and white sprinkles on it. At first the strange baked good looked too strange to eat but the sugary smell that rose from the fried dough made her mouth salivate. _No Frisk not yet, save it for later._

 _*it's a donut with web like frosting and sprinkles. One of the best creepy crawly treats in the Underworld._

After obtaining the spider themed treat Frisk had to ask Flowey about his mention of this Muffet "hey Flowey who is Muffet?" Flowey rested his head on her shoulder only lifting his arms to emphasize his speech "Muffet is one of the toughest crime lords in the Underworld. She runs this bake sale as a side job to fill her greed. She is one of the Triad here. She is not one to mess with Frisk." Frisk just had more questions but Flowey was looking tired and she supposed getting to Toriel's would be better for them both.

Returning to the room that she had encountered Blookie she turned to the doorway to her right. It was another long hallway. It seemed her Froggit friend was excited to be in this particular corridor. He hopped over to the sign and ribbited to get her attention. When she approached his excitement grew hoping about. The sign next to her little hopping friend read something unreadable. It was so worn away that there was nothing to make out. A few more ribbits in the distance caused Frisk to turn that direction. A group of froggits three in total bounced up to the party at the end of the hall. Her Froggit friend bounded in front of her as if protecting her. A conversation began between the intruders and the party member. Some of the noises that he was making sounded distressed but firm. As if he was explaining something to them. After a while Frisk and Flowey just began to exchange looks before the sounds ceased. They both just assumed that the conversation was over.

The grouping of frog like monsters came up to her one by one giving their various little ribbits and meows. They were trying to tell her something. This time she actually heard words between the usual excited noises.

 _Frisk human Frisk ribbit_ _we have something to share with you ribbit_

 _We will show you a shortcut to make your journey shorter ribbit_

 _Yes much shorter ribbit press the blue switch ribbit_

 _And climb through the vent ribbit ribbit_

A way to make their journey shorter? Frisk would take that any day. She could tell with each passing moment that Flowey was extraordinarily tired just resting his head on her shoulder with what little energy remained. She thanked the grouping of Froggits somehow persuaded by their friend. Frisk began to continue but their froggit friend didn't move. It seemed that he wanted to stay there with his own kind. This was the end of their little party. She walked over to him and patted his head one last time "don't be a stranger ok?" The little froggit nodded its head and with a resounding purring like noise nuzzled against her leg before hopping off. She would miss the little guy but maybe it was for the better. Flowey has made it quite clear that the road ahead would be a difficult one.

She stood and brushed herself off now alone in the empty room save the sleeping Flowey on her shoulder. She had not noticed when he dozed off. She remembered him being flung to the opposite side of the room via fireball so of course he would be exhausted. She let him sleep as she made her way into another room. Like some of the rooms prior this seemed to be one of those uneasy ground puzzles but much to her luck there was no obstacle blocking the way. She did not have to go through checking every single room for the answer like before thank goodness.

Proceeding into the next room was a series of columns. There were three of them in total their tops reaching toward what would be considered a ceiling. They were an off white color bordering on ivory seemingly worn from the passage of time. Upon further inspection there seemed to be three brightly colored switches behind each of them. She remembered the froggits in the other room talking about a blue switch. She reached for the blue metal and gently wrapped her hand around the lever. Once she had a firm grasp she pulled down on it taking the advice of her frog friends only to hear a click and a sliding noise just to her left. There was a metal placard hung on the wall but that was not what interested Frisk. There was a duct very similar to the ones that she had climbed through before in order to return to the first level of some of the leaf puzzles from. She made a quick glance over her shoulder at the lever to make sure that it was not a kind of trap that would deactivate after a duration of time and when the coast was clear she started her ascent. The passage was dark and narrow but if it saved time then she was all for it. Flowey was still asleep as she made it to the end of the passageway only to look down from a square opening. Just below was a pile of brightly colored red leaves. They were the same ones she had seen before. Shimmying to an appropriate position Frisk held the ledge of the opening with her hands before dropping down into the sea of crimson below.

The leaves scattered to and fro when she made impact causing her to shake her head as some of them landed in her auburn hair. She was sure that some of them were tangled but she did not have the luxury of making sure her appearance was proper. Her backside was a little sore from the impact as she rubbed her lower back. She had been falling into a lot of foliage today hadn't she? She was unsure that her lower back would be able to continue to take the kind of strain that it had been subjected to. Soreness or not the journey had to continue. Amid the process of exiting the leaf pile she heard a ringer go off. It was the same as the last two times of course but the silence of The Ruins coupled with the sudden noise caused Frisk to leap. It must have been Toriel calling again though this time she was unsure for what purpose.

*hello dear I just wanted to check up on you are you close yet?

*hello. Yes I think I am almost there I landed in a pile of red leaves is that close?

*Dear there are a lot of those around this place do you have any specifics you can give me?

The only way for Frisk to be able to answer Toriel's question accurately was if she started to explore again. A pained grunt escaped her as she ascended to her feet. The sound of crunching leaves was amplified by the small space as she looked in both directions. She was unsure of what direction she currently was in unlike before. A look to the right and then to the left made her dizzy. She did not know what direction to take so she just had to chose one and hope for the best. From her standing in the leaf pile she decided to go to her right to head down into an area where another branching pathway was laid out before her, _decisions decisions_ she thought as she chose to once again take the right path.

Another doorway stood in her way and without hesitation she strode through the doorway only to end up with one of the most astounding views of her lifetime. She had ended up on a balcony of sorts overlooking the once great monster city. This was the glory of The Ruins and the monsters past home. Even in its worn state as she looked out over the veranda she felt her breath being taken away. She could just picture the hustle and bustle. The liveliness that once filled this place. The architecture ranged from Medieval to Roman. Each tower stood higher than another its rounded windows reflecting the what little light they could. In the center of her vision was a grand dome with a spire at its top. It reminded her very much of the domes that she had seen in books about the Golden Age of Rome and the Italian Renaissance. The city was not just a place to live but an achievement to the monsters before. Their craftsmanship and dedication was exquisite. She could only imagine what other beauty lay beyond these old ruins so majestic and breathtaking in design.

*dear are you still there?

*oh… yes miss Toriel I am sorry I was just looking at the view

*oh my are you on the veranda?

*Yes I believe so?

*Very good very good sweet thing my home is just beyond that little doorway. You must have landed in the pile of leaves just before the courtyard. Do make it home soon.

 _*You stare out over the once great capital. The true golden age of monster kind. The feeling is bittersweet._

A click left her once again in silence. The view of the once great monster capital was not the only sight to see here. Just a little ways off Frisk noticed a white glimmer. As she approached she noticed that it was the glint of metal. It was a knife. A knife that was just laying there on the ground with no purpose. It was a sight that felt out of place and against her own moral fiber. Knives were not toys to mess around with and this one clearly was sharp.

 _*You found the knife. Its covered in a white powdery substance. Pick it up it might come in handy_

Frisk had to disagree with the notion but as if being possessed by some unknown force she reached for the blade hiding it for safekeeping later. The tool of potential horror was against her moral code. Why she had picked it up so suddenly she did not understand. It was almost as if she had no say in the matter. Regardless she returned to the red leaf pile as mentioned by Toriel on the phone. Just beyond the doorway stood a massive courtyard. As a centerpiece stood a tree its gnarled branches twisted in strange ways. Unlike the trees she knew of from the surface this one was black. Not a dark brown but pure black and it reflected the light as if it had some kind of shiny coating on it. As if it had be preserved somehow. The shine made it difficult to see more of its detail but one thing she did make note of was the massive amount of red leaves that lay at its base. She could only assume that this was the tree all the red leaves in the previous rooms and corridors had originated from. They made a nice soft bed for the strange other worldly tree.

Frisk walked around the centerpiece to find herself staring once again at a soft golden light. It was another of the stars that only she had the ability to see. Just as before she reached out to the light not thinking of anything else and warmth washed over her. It was time for her to take in that energy and repeat the process she had so many times before.

 _*Toriel's little home nestled within this dark place fills you with apprehension._

** _{SAVE}**_

 _October 7th 201X_

 _End of Entry..._


	5. It's Almost a Home

**Welcome to the Underworld  
** _{Log 1: The Ruins_

 _Entry 4: It's Almost a Home}_

So many thoughts lingered within her mind creating puddles of subconscious thought that would spill over at the brim. Every thought gave way to more questions and the more answers gave way to more inquiry. It was as if an endless cycle had begun. A repetition of the same things over and over. A feel of deja vu that could not be shaken. These stars. These objects of mystifying energy and power called to her. Everytime she made it to these glowing stars they revitalized her and gave her a boost of self confidence. The repetition was enough to ingrain self doubt within oneself. Did she really want to continue? Did this place, these monsters, did she really care? The surface was but one Hell and as Flowey stated this was another. What was the point? Her resolve wavered like a flag being gently shook by the wind over and over. She had to be firm in her convictions. She would answer the question presented before her with a resounding _yes_. She would continue forward even if the path she had chosen would be difficult. So far everything seemed to be fine as she stood before the portal to Toriel's home.

The doorway towered above her once again indicating that opening was for someone or something massive in stature. Even Toriel did not have such a stature. Just as before the walls were lined with purple bricks and a deep grey mortar. There were some chips and cracks here and there leading Frisk to suspect no change once she passed the outlet. The crunching of red leaves underneath her boots brought her attention to the star that glittered just to the left of her. It's golden light warmed her skin but it was nothing like the feeling of a blazing sun in her veins like before. Every time she touched the shimmering point all she could do was witness as its life was leached from its ethereal being and into her. She felt like an unwilling parasite sucking the life out of something that called for its own death. She did not quite understand its significance but there was a feeling at the back of her mind that she would very soon.

Frisk had never been one for believing in spirits or bad auras but as she stood there a gloom washed over her. She was standing on a small island in the middle of a vast sea. There was so much pain and suffering. The hands were reaching for anyone to alleviate it the pain. There was screaming, one by one, they all tried to grab her and rip her from the small safe place she had made. It was threatening to swallow her up and drag her down to the deep depths of sorrow. Flowey snapped her out of the feeling as he patted her cheek with one of his leaves. It felt warm and clammy as if he were nervous. He usually kept to himself but he did not need to say a word as he studied Frisk. As if he was saying he was afraid and that he would never leave her.

She had concluded through a copious amount of evidence that when Toriel had sent Flowey flying by in a blaze of charred petals that was not the first time. The scorch marks that surrounded his grave of golden companions returned to her memory. He was a weed to her and that would not change as weeds needed to be extinguished. He had been the lone survivor standing tall amidst a place of grief and rage. There had to be a reason that Toriel treated Flowey in such a way but she did not want to open the subject. The dark aura that permeated this place was thick. So much so that it was difficult for her to breath. So many. So many voices that seemed to want to enter and latch onto her mind. They wanted to drive her insane and to cling to semblance of their lost humanity at her own expense.

The doorframe was cold like sticking one's hand into a freezer and leaving it there. Even with the company of her golden companion she felt a lonely chill creep over her. There was something horribly wrong about this place besides the screaming auras that threatened to consume her in madness. A reluctant foot forward and she found herself closing her eyes. There would be black walls covered in red tapestries. Hallways lit by nothing but the flickering of dying flames. The darkness would consume every inch of the home that she was walking into. There would be stains on the floor, crimson, only having been scrubbed furiously to try and be rid of them. She stood in the doorway afraid to open her eyes. When she finally mustered the courage, she gasped.

Everything that she had imagined up till now was immediately dashed as her cobalt blue eyes stared in awe at what lay inside. The foyer to Toriel's home was made of contrasting light and dark woods, bright, airy, warm, and inviting. The voices of all those that she had been trying to stay afloat vanished as did the dark aura that had once permeated the air. She could once again breathe. Flowey continued to cower behind her shoulder as she stepped deeper into the foyer. Everything around the pair was spotless and immaculate. There was great care and time put into this home. Even though there was no natural light it radiated a kind of warmth that she had not expected to step into.

The foyer of the seemingly bright home was radiant and open so much so that Frisk felt so small standing just over the threshold of the entrance. The floors were lined with a sun kissed oaken floor slick with a light sheen from the finish. They were a high grade of floor quality not that she was really well versed in the materialist qualities of lumber. The banisters shown with the same oak and lacquer treatment only to be held up by a contrasting dark cherry. They were rounded at the edges as if they were created to prevent harm to someone. In fact the majority of the foyer had rounded edges. The first section of wood protruded from the wall across from the duo only to box in the stairs leading down to some unknown location. Unlike The Ruins she had just traversed there was no stale smell or suffocating aura here. It was a ray of sunshine within a place that was consumed in darkness.

She placed her hand upon one sections of the banister inclining her head forward in an effort to see what potentially lurked below. They were all the same wood and finish. As they descended they seemed to darken in color, most likely due to the the shadows that the woodwork cast, but something still felt sinister. The runner along the steps was a rich plum color slowly transforming to black as it wound its way deeper and deeper downward. As she pulled back from the banister, her auburn hair shielding her face from Flowey. She turned to see a small side table. As consistent with the rest of the furnishings she had seen in the home up to this point the edges were rounded. It was made of the same dark cherry wood that she took note of when she saw the banisters. It stood in a small vertical alcove just against the wall. It's almost mirrored and golden top glinted in the warm lighting. On the top of it rested a vase that accented the same color palette of warm tones and darks accents. It's engraving was simplistic with spirals that jutted out from the metal at a diagonal. This pattern ran the entire length of the piece to taper upward at the neck. Inside the vase was a pair of what looked to be golden tulips. As she examined the drawer handle she was assaulted by a sickly sweet smell that was too strong for her senses. She assumed that it was the natural fragrance of the flowers. Even so such a strong smell caused her to return to the center of the room trying to get the offending fragrance out of her nose.

Moving to the right hand side of the foyer Frisk spotted a small little book shelf made of the same combination of rich cherry wood and golden top of it had flecks of purple stones or gems that appeared to glow with no help from electricity or phosphorescence. They twinkled like little purple stars within a sea of black granite. As she bent down to inspect the shelf she found that some books were dustier than others. Even though the house was immaculate in its level of cleanliness there were some oddities that stood out. Upon further examination some of the book titles were as follows: 'Soul theory', 'It's a Cookbook', 'A Monster's Guide to Dark Humor', and 'The Human Monster Wars'. Those were the books that had appeared to be used quite often though due to their lack of dust. She noticed the cookbook was spotless which in her mind made sense. Frisk was inquiring about some of the others but maybe she could ask Toriel about them later.

Standing upright to examine the room further Frisk found herself staring at a painting. The brush stroked reminded her of painting she had read about during the the Renaissance. It's realism and detail showed every fur. She could connect with the soulful eyes housed within the oil and paint. Such an elaborate painting was one you might find housed within the bedroom of a duke or a king. The artistry had a life of its own as she continued to gawk at its mastery. It had been framed in dark wood contrasting the white fur of the family. In it she recognized Toriel but not the other two. One was very similar to Toriel but much much larger also male. His goatee and dark hair stood out against the backdrop of golden flowers. In between them was what she assumed was a child. Like the other two the monster looked similar in appearance with white fur, floppy ears, and a huge smile. He wore a green and yellow shirt very comparable to the one that she was wearing right now. He held a bouquet of golden flowers in his arms as she stared happily at the camera. It looked like a different time. Her trance over the artistic masterpiece in front of her caused her to nearly forget that Flowey was by her side. She only just realized when he made a soft noise very akin to a whimper. He was staring at the portrait with a deep sadness and longing. She decided to ask him what was the matter "Hey… Flowey are you alright? You seem a little down."

The flower had been eyeing the portrait for so long that her voice sounded so far away to him. He felt like he was underwater as she tried to reach him. Little by little her voice pulled him from the depths of his subconscious only to blink in response. He had barely registered just where he was "oh. I am fine dont worry just thinking about something. Frisk you should get some rest you look like the dead." There it was his usual caring yet smart alec commentary. The last thing that Frisk noticed in the entry was an ornate sconce that hung on the wall just to the left of her. It curved and twisted upward like a growing flame, wild and untamed before blossoming outward into petals. Housed within it was a warm light just like the same tone that covered the entire home. Frisk prefered the warm yellow light instead of a of white or blue light. Everything in the entry just felt so warm and inviting to her.

As she returned to the intersection of hallways she heard a familiar jingle emanating from her back pocket. She had been mildly concerned that Toriel had forgotten about her or that she had lost the phone on her journey. She dug the device out of her pocket and opened it just before Toriel made her entrance, phone in hand. She looked upset for some reason "Dear did I not tell you to wait for me to return? Do you wish to be harmed?" Frisk only shook her head in response. It was not long that Toriel's expression changed from one of frustration to one of delight. Apparently just having her there in one piece was enough to diminish the fact that she traversed a seemingly perilous and endless checkerboard of catacombs by herself.

Flowey in the meantime was hiding as much as he could. She did not blame him from wanting to not be noticed by the goat monster. He was afraid for his life and honestly so was she. One wrong move would send her to her potential demise. Toriel's amber eyes were dark and stormy as she spoke in a rather bitter tone of voice. It was bone chilling and spine tingling to see a creature with such eyes speak in such a motherly voice "well dear I am sure you have had a very trying day why don't you freshen up and get some rest. I will call you when your surprise is ready."

Toriel placed her hands together in front of her as she waited for a response from the human. They looked worse for the wear as she had noted earlier. She was not too happy that they had disobeyed her orders to stay put though she was proud they did not need a helping hand. Her eyes danced with a combination of mirth, pride, rage, and concern. All emotions jumbled together in one mind struggling to stay together as it was. They hoped that the promise of a surprise brought the human a sense of home and security. The only problem was that the aroma of baked goods had not yet started to waft from the kitchen indicating it was a long way from being finished. A recommendation of rest and a shower would do the human good, so with a warm smile she did so.

Frisk tended not to say much especially since she was attempting to keep Flowey hidden, She was not the best about secrets. She slowly nodded as she opened her mouth to speak "I look forward to it. A rest and shower sounds really nice." She smiled in return to give Toriel some positive affirmation of her suggestion. She had to admit that a shower sounded heavenly right now especially after all that she had been through. The Ruins were like a series of never ending catacombs. One after the other with puzzle after puzzle and trap after trap. She had somehow made it through all the perilous obstacles to stand in Toriel's home, seemingly in one piece.

Toriel watched the humans every reaction and expression with curiosity. The humans that had come before were much less fragile than this one it seemed and though she could not place the feeling something felt familiar. The kind of familiarity that nagged and tugged on one's heart strings incessantly. _A red heart, a field of golden flowers, a slice of pie, and her failure as a mother._ She buried the feeling within her deep deep down in order to continue to function. This child needed her as they all had. This time she was not going to let the human girl make the same mistakes as the others. She was not going to repeat her own misgivings as a mother. They were all going to be a family just like she had envisioned "The rooms are just down the hallway to your right dear. Your room is the first door on the left. Please let me know if you need anything." She moved to stand in front of Frisk. Her stature was cumbersome as she knelt down to her level and placed a kiss on the top of her head before once again standing upright. She returned to the kitchen to finish her surprise, leaving the human to their own devices.

Frisk was still receiving mixed messages in this place. It felt so warm but there was also a ominous aura about it. The contradictions were astoundingly obvious. It was not her place to judge as she knew little to nothing about the goat monster that had taken her in. She was happy that she had a place to call home, well… almost. She decided to not overthink it and made her way to the right side of the room where she saw a long hallway.

The hallway continued the same warm oaken wood flooring as it ran down the end of the hall. A similar set of sconces from the foyer also lined the warmly painted the golden hues of the walls. The sconces flickered as playful shadows danced fading in and out due to the amount of light. On the floor running a short length of the hallway was a carpet. It was woven with golden strands that bordered the rug in ornate finery. In the middle was the symbol that she had seen multiple times, the rune that Toriel also wore. The golden wings splayed outward as if they were gesturing to the doors that lined the walls. The golden symbol was housed on a backdrop of ombre crimson, purple, and black. It was just too pretty to step on so she tiptoed around the corner in an effort to not get her dusty shoes on the piece of woven artwork.

Just to her left as she took a few steps forward was a door made of dark cherry wood. It had no sort of identification it was just a plain wooden door. The handle, however, was intricately inlaid with golden metalwork, swirls and floral patterns. It seemed like a rather excessive and ornate detail to have with such a plain looking door but it was pretty to look at and smooth to the touch as she placed her hand upon it. A small click was heard as she pushed the door open gently to illuminate the darkness of the room with the small sliver of light seeping from the hallway. The room was no bigger than one of the smaller rooms that she had traveled through on her journey but it was warm and cozy. She prefered the small and cozy to the large and cold. There was something about a small space that felt secure. As she poked her head inside, again not wanting to dirty the light colored carmel carpet that spanned the entirety of the room,she spotted the shape of a lamp within the darkness. There was not much visible beyond that.

Deciding it would be best to remove her shoes before she stepped inside the room, Frisk slipped off her now severely beat up flats, to hold them with her fingers. When her barefoot sank into the warm carpet she began to relax. It felt so nice after such a long journey to get here. One was not really supposed to climb, run, or even walk for a long period of time in such shoes. The carpet was a relief which made her enthusiastically anticipate the relaxation a warm shower would give her weary body.

She stepped toward the lamp fumbling to feel for a switch or button to illuminate the room further. Her fingers slid around the metal to finally feel a rough texture on her fingers. The grooved switch took two clicks to turn to its full brightness. Like everything else in this home the lighting was soft and warm bordering on a yellow tone. The room, no her room, was now bathed in a warm light making everything within it visible to her. She was exhausted and her feet had been sore for what could have been hours, there was no way of knowing down here.

She turned to her left and saw a bookcase very akin to the one that she had investigated in the foyer. This bookcase, however, was not filled with books as the other but a combination of items. There were some black tapes from a video camera, a few books, and some objects that were being used to prop up the collections. Frisk grabbed a hold of the side of the book shelf to stand up again. On the top of the shelf was a picture frame. It had the same smiling goat monster only he looked older in this picture. In the portrait in the foyer he looked to be around six or seven in age but here he looked to be at least a teenager. In this picture she could see that he had emerald eyes, black spiraling horns, black fingernails, and strange black facial markings. Even though he looked intimidating that warm smile on his face told her otherwise. On the opposite of him was another figure but the picture was enveloped in black soot and the glass was shattered.

It was only when she heard his voice did Frisk realize that Flowey was straining his stem like neck to see the photo " _Chara.._." It was soft and barely audible but she was close enough to hear the word. A word she had heard, no felt, once before "who is that Flowey?" He turned to her and shook his head silent. He was reluctant and she did not want to force a confession from him.

 _*You are filled with sadness. . ._

That's right she was sad but for her flower friend that she wanted to know more about. It seemed that he would rather keep to himself on these matters. She wished he would be more open with her. Next to the photograph was a simple flower pot. It had a white flower growing in it that had a bell shape to it and yellow green petals.

 _*It's a white lily_

She did not want to remove the flower but she needed a spot to put her friend. She remembered distinctly that there was a vase in the hallway that she could transplant the lily into with a gentle hand. She pulled the white flower from its small terracotta home only to return to the hallway to place it in the vase. It was odd that there was only one white lily in an entire room but she was not going to think too deeply on the matter. As she returned to her newly assigned room she rubbed Flowey's head. He looked exhausted and was barely keeping his eyes open at this point. Gradually and gingerly she removed him from her shoulder and placed him in the pot where he began to snooze. A small smile appeared on her face as she watched him but only for a moment before continuing to survey her surroundings.

Just to the right of the bookshelf that her golden companion was now sleeping was a large cherry wood finished dresser with the same purple crystal inlays that she had seen before. The dark wood complemented the natural glow fittingly. It added to the growing list of mysterious things that were in the Underworld. These phosphorescent crystals were not something that they had on the surface, at least she had never seen them before. There were also golden inlays that bordered the dresser with swirls and intricate designs. At the top a similar rune found its way into her line of sight. The more she saw the winged design the more she had to question if this was a common artistic choice or if it was specific to Toriel and her family.

Frisk placed her hand on the golden handle and swung open the doors so she could get a good look inside. What she found was odd but not exactly alarming. The dresser was filled with different variations of clothing. There were different sizes, styles, and colors. There was one piece of clothing that looked about her size that caught her eye. It was a red sweater with black stripes. In fact it happened to be a knit turtleneck as she pulled it from the dresser to look at it more closely. Once she was satisfied she found a pair of brown combat like boots in her size, a pair of black tights, and some dark blue denim shorts.

It was odd to see a dresser filled with more than one type of clothing to be sure but Frisk was just happy to be able to get out of the soiled clothing that she wore. She had a weird feeling that the cold atmosphere of The Ruins would be something that she would find common on her journey through this strange place. A monster infested prison of sorts that lurked just below the feet of regular day people. People that had forgotten their past only to push it into some kind of myth and legend of obscurity.

Finally she had made it to the bed as she lay the clothing that she had chosen out on the crimson comforter. She was starting to see a pattern in color choices around the home. There was a lot of reds, blacks, and golds. It was not particularly a weird choice there was just so much of it. A little excessive if you asked her. The walls in the room were also red in color though where the light touched it looked more sunburnt orange than anything. Just laying on the floor next to the bed up against said red walls were two monster looking plushies. Their black button eyes brought to mind the cute dummy that she had encountered earlier on her journey. They had a face shape that looked like an elephant with its trunk squished. They had no ears but pudgy cheeks and a bean like body. She mused that she might be cuddling one later on tonight as she had an extreme fondness for stuffed toys.

There was a free standing lamp in the corner with a cream colored lampshade. The little golden chain that dangled from it made a loud clicking noise as she pulled it causing her to double check to make sure she did not wake Flowey. He was still fast asleep as she sighed in relief letting go of the chain. The room felt even brighter than before. The headboard was made of the same cherry and crystal as the dresser. The specks of crystal refracted the light from the lamp in the corner causing the ceiling to dance with colorful specks of light. She was excited to see more of the glamor that the Underworld had to offer. It was already impressing her regardless of the stale air and strange societal demands.

The last item within the room was a box and housed within it was pairs upon pairs of mismatched shoes. She had found a comfortable pair within the dresser but staring at the box was unnerving in a way. It called to mind a kind of horrible tragedy that she did not know about. Out of everything in the room the shoe box was a little concerning. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. To the right was the room she was in desperate need of, the bathroom. She half expected to find the bathroom with a similar dark red and black color palette.

She entered the bathroom to be greeted with a palette of carmel's, crimsons, taupes, and deep cherry. The floors were patchworked with beautiful granite of various neutrals and tile continued to a shower area with a crimson curtain to prevent water from leaking. The showerheads were an antique gold as she inspected the area. Frisk continued to marvel at just how lavish the entire place was. To her right was a cream colored bathtub with clawed feet leaning up against the wall. To the left was a set of cherry cabinets with black counters that were similar to the table tops she had seen in other parts of the home. The sconces on both sides of the room were also the same as the ones she had seen flickering in the wallway. On top of the counter was a granite sink of the same material as well as an ornate oval mirror. It was clear from the furnishings within Toriel's home that she was clearly no stranger to the finer things in life. A bouquet of white, green, and purple flowers in a small glass vase decorated the upper left hand corner of the sink.

Frisk could feel the shower beckoning. She now had a clean pair of clothes that she would have the opportunity to change into after a relaxing shower or bath. She decided on the shower as she walked to close the door for privacy. A soft click and she began to peel off all the soiled clothing. They were dusty, dirty, and worst of all smelled stale. As she gently set the dirty laundry on a nearby counter she made her way to the shower. A gentle tug of the handle sent the warm water pouring down over her small frame. A simple pull of the curtain gave her more privacy as she showered in peace. She could feel the dirt and grime wash away as she ran her fingers through her now drenched auburn hair. It all drained away as her eyes slid closed just enjoying the warmth of the water on her cool skin.

A few minutes of just relaxing and she found some shampoo, conditioner, and body wash on one of the granite shelves built right into the shower area. The bottles were red in color with gold lettering. It read 'MTT Brand shampoo'. The rest of the bottles had a similar labeling to them just with their respective contents. Frisk did not care she just wanted to be clean as she squirted a liberal helping of shampoo into her dainty hands. She scrubbed her hair clean before rinsing and repeating with the other products. She knew she couldn't stay in there all day as she sighed in content before turning the handle. She found a crimson and gold towel on the black towel rack just next to the shower area and closed her eyes pressing the cloth to her face. The looped fabric had captured the scent of bathroom products she had used to clean herself. It was the scent of vanilla and chocolate. A sweet aroma that draped and ran through her hair. The towel felt soft against her newly bathed skin as she wrapped herself. All she desired was to let the smells, and feelings envelop her in their calming embrace.

Frisk slowly dried herself off thoroughly before exiting the bathroom to inspect her new clothing choices. The sweater was red in color and had a distinct set of black stripes along the chest and stomach area. It was long sleeves with knit cuffs and was also a turtleneck as she observed earlier. It was pretty simplistic but that is what she liked about it. The undergarments which she found in one of the dresser drawers was the first articles that she needed. Afterwards her hands wrapped around her new sweater to pull it over her head. The knit material was soft on the skin but not itchy, something she had been concerned about when she had grabbed it earlier. It fit perfectly even for someone of her size and stature. She had always been one of the shortest even though her height of 5'5' was a little above average. The next article of clothing to examine was the dark denim shorts. They were also simple shorts with patch pockets on the back and gleaming golden rivets. The inside of the pockets were lined with a contrasting red material that showed through in the threads of the fabric. In certain light they looked blue but others it looked like a deep maroon or plum.

The black tights laying right next to the shorts she had pulled looked to be the type of tights that a dancer might wear. The last thing was the chocolate brown leather boots next to the bed. The insides seemed to be lined with a winter insulated black fleece fabric while the laces were crimson in color. They looked like a pair of hiking or combat boots with golden metal notches to house the criss crossed laces. The bottoms were black with a small half circle of black leather that wrapped around the heel of the boot. There was also two decorative buckles of a similar golden metal. Frisk assumed they had not been used before due to the new state they appeared to be in. That or someone took their time to make sure that all the clothing in the dresser was maintained properly. As she slipped everything on she realized that she had left her wet towel laying on the bed. No one likes to sleep in a wet bed do they?

She gently picked up the towel and returned to the bathroom for a moment to return it to the towel rack where it belonged. When she returned she took a moment to sit on the bed. Everything here was nicer than anything she had ever had in her entire life and Toriel had just given it to her. There was no catch or payment just that she cared. It almost brought tears to her eyes. A few moments passed and Frisk realized that she was not as fatigued after her relaxing shower. She did not want to interpret Toriel so she decided to explore the hallway and the rooms beyond her own instead.

Another trip out into the hallway left Frisk noticing things that she had failed to notice before. There was another chest of drawers in the hallway. Like the others it had the same treatments and sparkled as she neared it. On the top was a red flower she had never seen before with golden petals. It looked like it was made out of some kind of metal. Turning her attention away from the strange decor she noticed that next to it lined up in a row was a series of glass artwork pieces. Each one had housed a different colored heart that glowed in the light of the flickering sconces. The colors were green, yellow, cyan, purple, orange, yellow, and red. They seemed to fluctuate in the light and Frisk could have sworn they looked as if they were pulsing and beating against their glass prison.

After that mental image she had to stand back only to look at her own reflection. There was a golden mirror hanging directly in front of her. The girl that stared back she hardly recognized. She appeared older with pale skin and cheeks flushed with pink. Her auburn hair shaped her face nicely even though it was still wet and her bangs cut straight across the top of her forehead. Two cobalt blue eyes stared back at her bringing to mind an image of a brilliant blue sea. She still had dark circles under her eyes almost tinged a red color. The sweater she had chosen fit her form nicely showing her more mature body due to its fitted style. She was glowing with a kind of happiness and positive energy that she had never truly had before. The only thing out of place was that she looked exasperated.

* _It's you_

It was indeed her and yet the girl that stared back from the mirror was a stranger. How had she changed so much in such a short amount of time. She began to question if she ever really viewed herself before. She felt almost like she was a different person in a way. A boisterous yawn escaped her as she turned to head back toward the doors she had yet to uncover. She halted. She really should get some rest and possibly explore tomorrow. It had been a long and tiring day that she never in a million years would have anticipated. She made her way back to the bedroom only to immediately close the door and turn off the lights. Her hands wrapped around one of the monster like plushies resting on the floor and held it gently against her chest before her inky lashes began to cloud her vision. Her weary mind fought against her fatigued slumber for fear of awaking to find all of this a dream.

It would be like that one girl in that storybook she read as a child. Alice had awoken to find that all the things she had experienced, all the friends that she had met on her journey were but in her mind. They were just figments to help her cope with her own internal struggles and obstacles. Frisk deeply hoped that even though this place she had ended up in was no fantasy that it was a reality. It only took minutes before the soft sound of breathing could be heard from the pair within the small bedroom. They were both fast asleep in preparation for the next day.

** _{SAVE}**_

 _October 8th 201X_

 _End of Entry..._


	6. Toriel Dreemurr

**Welcome to the Underworld  
** _{Log 1: The Ruins_

 _Entry 5: Toriel Dreemurr}_

 _Sleep. The blissful relaxation of one's mind. A paradise away from the suffering and bone crushing reality of the everyday. A place of happiness, joy, and imagination to refresh the minds of the few that desperately attempt to cling to some semblance of peace. Even still the darkness slinks its way into the mind traversing the cracks of a subconscious broken by trauma and tragedy. Is the warm embrace of a fluffy pillow and soft sheets_ _truly a paradise or is it but a distraction? Can something so blissful truly be called a mercy if that bliss can be so easily ripped from one's grasp? Darkness abides in even the lightest of places as one cannot be without the other. A gilded cage of false promise. Her gilded cage. Her only solitude and comfort in a place that truly can be summed up in one word, HELL._

Frisk's idea of a deep sleep was a couple of hours. There was always something to keep her up at night whether it be mentally or physically. The bed she had found herself in was warm and soft. The plush pillows made for a cozy safe haven. The comforter was flocked with fibers brushing softly against her. All she could think was how she wanted to remain and rest. It was a prison of plush comfort like one giant hug that her exhausted body desperately yearned for. There was no better way to describe the sensation than that of laying on a cloud only to be plunged into the deepest darkness. She wanted to stay there but a voice pulled her from her weightlessness. Her lashes fluttered open, blue eyes staring into an inky black void. She felt as if she was floating but there was no ground here so it was difficult to tell for sure. Did she die? Had she been so exhausted that her broken body just gave up on her? Was all of that stuff about monsters and flowers but a dream? No one could survive a fall like the one from the peak of Ebott. It was an inky black abyss that had swallowed countless amounts of children. She should have shattered at the bottom like a porcelain doll meeting the cold hard floor; it's glassy lifeless eyes staring skyward at its safe perch on its shelf. She opened her mouth to speak. Her voice sounded meager as it echoed in the nightmare scape of her mind "it...was all a dream."

The thought of Flowey and the rest being but a dream stabbed at her heart. The physical pain would have been enough as she looked down to see marks appearing on her body. They manifested without warning. She could feel the slickness of her own blood around her neck dripping into the blackness that she hovered above. This truly was a nightmare or was this her reality? She had attempted to take her own life to escape the horrors of her youth, perhaps this was her punishment for her refute of such a fragile gift. She could feel her breath shortening as fire sprung up. Her body would not respond. Her lungs collapsed struggling to provide the essential functions required for living. Her eyes refused her the luxury of sight. Nothing. The ghastly flames subsided as did the horrifying cuts and bruises. Everything that had once plagued her faded away. A moment as a feeling washed over her. Her body was not her own, stuck in place unable to move. Her consciousness was heightened seeing outside of herself. A set of pale hands materialized toward her. They wrapped around her small quaking frame in a protective embrace.

 _*I will protect you_

Frisk never saw the speaker as she was jolted from her mind to reality once more. It would appear that her journey was not a dream after all. She had her arms wrapped around the same monster plushie from the evening earlier. There was no light for her to know exactly what time the day had passed into but she assumed that time was just a human construct anyway. A way of keeping track of the passing of life. _What a morbid thought_. The events prior played through her mind once more as she shut her eyes in an effort to block them out. There was so much suffering and physical pain until _they_ came. The comforting embrace that she felt for but a moment that made the pain go away. No. It didn't go away. It was numbed. An involuntary individual that took her feeling from her. Who was this person whose voice lingered in her mind?

She buried her head against the head of the plush monster as if to comfort herself. She did not know how long she had slept but at least she did not feel exhausted. She felt refreshed finally as she slid the covers off the bed. A soft groan and she was up, releasing her hold on the plush and letting it fall to the floor with a light flop. The little creature lay there with one button eye staring at the wall. Their lifeless beady eyes reflected the warmth of the lights from above. Even with their warm light it almost looked a little sad. She swung her legs over the side of the bed as her feet were met with the inviting carpet. The carmel flooring pushed up between her toes pillowing them in plush comfort. It felt like lush grasses beneath her feet. She was still partially half asleep as she ran her fingers through her auburn hair. Her eyes glanced over at Flowey who was still fast asleep making small snoring noises. He was all healed from before save for a few scratched and torn petals. It put a smile on her face and added to her peace of mind.

Frisk just remembered that Toriel had a surprise for her before she had fallen asleep. She assumed that the passing of time would lend to the surprise potentially awaiting her. She also wanted to ask Toriel a few questions that had continued to nag at her subconscious. Her glance toward the golden flower still napping on the table top was one of relief. She was fairly certain that he would be alright sitting there if Toriel did not walk into her room. In which case she would have to explain herself to the goat monster. Her thoughts returned to Flowey. His knowledge of Toriel and of the Underworld extended beyond what he was willing to share. It was more knowledge than she would have expected due to being trapped in The Ruins. When they met he looked like he had not moved in a long time if at all. So many questions were swirling around in her mind but she knew that she had to leave the room soon for fear of Toriel discovering her floral friend.

Her arms raised skyward stretching her limbs with a few pops. She needed a deeper stretch. She may have been considerably young but that did not mean that she had a perfect body. Her neck was knotted as she rolled it slowly to the right before proceeding to the left. The faint clicking sound caused by the action gave her reason to pause. Once loosened up she stood upright and opened her eyes. They fell on the abandoned plush toy that she had accidently dropped when she had awoken. It's black button eyes stared up at her as if asking for a comforting embrace. There was only one thing to do. She picked up the little plush and set it on the bed all snug and warm. She had not exactly made a mess of it so the little stuffed toy fit perfectly against the pillows. Her smile returned as she took a step back "there we go all better."

With everything in order it was time to leave the room and return to the hallway. What lay on the other side of the door would be her answers to the questions she so desperately sought. The lies she had been told and possibly even some of the truths. It was all going to coalesce. That is if Toriel opened up to her about any of her past or the past of her people. Frisk had known the story but only the one side. It was quite clear that the human version was horribly biased and discriminatory. Not that she was surprised to find such information shocking. Her attention was now on the handle directly in front of her. Did she really want to know the truth? Perhaps she was afraid of what the stories of the past may reveal. No. She had to continue. She had to know. She pulled the handle downward and with a familiar soft click the door unlocked.

Frisk stepped out into the hallway her feet finding the ornate rug that she remembered examining before her little nap. She felt a lot more composed as she gently closed the door as not to wake Flowey and continued downward toward the foyer. The house was beautiful and Frisk had to admit that though there were a lot of the same color palettes the choices they were still tasteful. It was not like she had walked into a horribly tacky house of horrors but rather a lavishly decorated gothic inspired home with modern elements. She never thought such decorating styles would even work well together but she was clearly wrong by that assumption. The warm lighting added to make the home feel more welcoming and even toning down the cooler color choices. When had she taken such a keen interest in decor before? It must have been since it was a new place that she was examining every nook and cranny.

As she stepped foot into the foyer she was greeted by a heavenly sweet smell that wafted from the archway in front of her. It was the same doorway that Toriel had appeared from previously in the day. Frisk had to assume that was the way to the kitchen and perhaps the goat mother herself. Her highly keen senses picked up the distinct spice of cinnamon in the aroma that floated toward her. That must have been why Toriel had called and asked her preference earlier and Frisk could not resist sweets. She used to be made fun of that her sweet and caring disposition came from all the sugar that she ate but the truth of the matter was that it was just a part of her soul. The part that glowed and glittered the brightest. It was what made her who she was and she would never trade that for the world. The hazy familial memory vanished from her mind as quickly as it had formed. Her trek closer toward the scent gave her time to analyze its contents. There was the distinct scent of cinnamon within it but also butterscotch? What ever Toriel was baking Frisk's excitement grew at the thought of tasting something with such a magnificent aroma.

She passed into the room beyond and found herself in a living room. The smell had become stronger but she was still not in the kitchen. She had never been in this room before so she supposed it would be interesting to explore. The room was fairly large in size and very spacious. The space compared to the others that she had seen was barren. The hardwood spanned the entire area in addition to the archway beyond. Judging by the continuingly growing aroma Frisk assumed that must be the direction of the kitchen. As of right now Toriel was nowhere to be seen. The room was well lit like the others with similar sconces that lined the walls. The first thing that Frisk was drawn to was the flickering fire just to the right of her.

The impressive fireplace was entirely made of marble though it was not pure white but cream in color. It stretched to the top of ceiling seamlessly with inlays of gold and purple. The bottom of it was carved into two columns. They mirrored each other, one on each side of the hearth. It was enclosed by more intricate carvings of swirls and leaves very similar to the plants that she had found surviving within the Ruins. They wound their way around the edge with marble tendrils to give way to carved flowers of all kinds. It was a stunning piece in her eyes. Someone had taken the time to sculpt such lavish detailing in nothing but a simple fireplace. On each column was a series of hearts though there was not color they were each sculpted to have certain characteristics that made them unique. In total there were 6 of them. The one as the centerpiece was the largest surrounded by carved golden flowers that embraced the heart lovingly. It was quite clear that heart symbolism meant a lot to Toriel as she had seen it multiple times within the home. The rest of the fireplace mimicked mason work on both sides with a slab of smooth marble running down the very center. One heart was blank as if it was waiting to be added to the group.

Her attention shifted to the fire dancing within the hearth. She half expected it to be normal but she was in a world of monsters and magic what should she expect anymore? The flame twisted and changed color creating a beautiful spectrum of flames that Frisk had never seen before. As the flames contorted in front of her eyes they shifted colors and hues. It was mesmerizing to watch. It almost gave color to the white marble carvings that she had been enthralled with earlier. She could sit there forever and watch the flames dance back and forth casting their multi colored light against the objects it dared to touch. She would return to the inviting spot by the fire later. There was a chair upholstered in cream fabric right next to it after all. The kind of chair you would find a mother or grandmother would be using to cradle her child. The blanket draped over its back was a deep purple fleece. It looked very cozy. She half wondered if Toriel would sit in this chair and bundle up in the blanket with a mug of hot chocolate and a good book to read. The mental scene warmed her heart.

Another bookshelf lay just beside the fireplace filled with different colored bindings. A few of them she could make out but for the most part she was not tall enough to reach. The book shelf was a carbon copy of the little one that she had in her room only to be double if not triple the size. It was only until she moved a little ways past the stacks of books that she noticed the child sized ladder leaning to one side. Toriel truly had thought of everything to make her home as child friendly as possible which called to mind a question that had been gnawing at the back of her mind for quite some time now. _Where were the children?_

It was abundantly clear that she was or had once been a mother just by little touches within the home. The dresser of smaller clothing, the small ladder by the bookshelf, her motherly tone, her overprotective disposition, and desire for her to remain. She sure convinced Frisk of this since she wanted to stay herself. She had never lived in such a warm place. There was something here that drew her in and Toriel was kind and thoughtful. She barely remembered her true mother or father. They had passed away when she was growing up. She tragically was too young to remember their faces. It was a mournful thought but perhaps she had fallen into this place for a reason. Maybe she could make a home for herself if Toriel truly desired her company. The last thing she examined as these thoughts swirled within her brain was the tools used to maintain the fireplace.

*Nothing interesting here...

The sound of a soothing voice gave Frisk the time to reflect. It was emanating from the archway to her direct left. She had not finished examining the entirety of the space, however, she thought it rude to not answer the call. There was no mistaking the voice as she neared its origin. It was Toriel humming in the kitchen. The same kitchen that the heavenly smell of cinnamon twisted with butterscotch was coming from. Now that she stood in the middle of the archway she could also smell a buttery crust. The silence was broken when her stomach made a rather loud and obnoxious growling sound. She had just realized that she had not eaten in a very long time, perhaps even an entire day given the inability to differentiate time in this place.

Toriel had been in front of the oven leaning waiting patiently against it with a recipe book in her hand and a pair of purple rimmed glasses perched on her snout. She could tell from their first encounter that the little human that had fallen would require something to eat to regain their energy. She loved to bake so this was the perfect opportunity. At first she was going to make snail pie one of her personal favorite recipes but then she concluded that such an occasion warranted something more homey. A sweet treat for such a sweet girl. She remembered when she had made so many dishes only to see the happy smiles of _their_ faces glowing up at her. Oh how she longed to have those tender feelings again. A feeling that touched her soul deeper than anything in this world. The love of a child. She was broken from her musings when she heard the growl from the doorway. Her honey eyes followed the source of the sound to find the human standing in front of her. They looked presentable now with clean clothing and finely washed hair. Their blue eyes were staring at her inquisitively "hello dear. Did you sleep well? Your surprise is almost finished I am sorry for such the long wait."

Frisk was peering up at Toriel as she stood awkwardly with one foot straddling the doorway. She did not want to interrupt but her stomach did that for her. Her response was to nod gently at the goat mother's question only to watch her gently set the open book down on the counter before removing her glasses and folding them onto the book. A small stool in the corner was her destination as her paws took hold of the wooden implement and set it tenderly near Frisk so she could sit. It would seem that Toriel coveted the company. Not that Frisk really blamed her. Her first appearance had frightened her originally but now Toriel had signs that she was unhappy. Her mood had improved considerably since she had appeared in the Underworld but even then Frisk could sense a great pain filled longing in the depths of those citrine eyes. She took a seat on the stool with a smile before replying softly "It's alright. Thank you mom."

Toriel had just gotten a stool for Frisk to sit on to make sure that she was comfortable. The timer would go off soon and the little human would be able to enjoy the baked goodie that she had prepared especially for her. That is when the human smiled up at her and called her mom. If she had been holding her recipe book she would have dropped it. Her animalistic like mouth turned up in a smile of pure joy. A single spark of hope. Such words gave her never ending happiness "dear me. Mom? You make this old monster happy my child. Thank you. Now the timer should be going off soon are you ready for your surprise?"

Frisk had been examining the kitchen before Toriel had begun to speak. Out of all the rooms in the home the kitchen appeared to be the smallest of them all. It was cozy, just big enough for them both and the warmth from the oven made it even more homey. She mused that Toriel would make a fine grandmother as well as a mother if she wasn't already. The flooring of the kitchen branched off from its usual hardwood into a checkerboard tile. It reminded Frisk of a chessboard in the way that the tiles alternated from black to white within the small space. To the left was a white refrigerator with double doors. On the top was the freezer and on the bottom was the fridge portion. A small black square rug lay just in front of the kitchen sink. The countertops continued the pattern of the stone with the purple crystals within it that she had seen much of in the home.

* **. . .**

*Fascinating...

Frisk ended up with her cheeks puffed up in a cute pout as she was cut off from her own train of thought. The kitchen was not that interesting of a place. It looked like any old standard kitchen so she was unsure why she was inspecting it as thoroughly as she was. Everything thing seemed as if it was ordinary. There was only one detail that stood out above everything else. The kitchen was immaculate and spotless to the point that everything was organized and not a single crumb was on the countertops. There on the rack of kitchen cookery was a line of spatulas, spoons, a knife or two, and lastly two frying pans. The first one was in pristine condition but the second was dented and badly scorched. Out of everything in the entire space that was what drew her attention. An old, beat up black frying pan. It was different than the other pan as well as it looked like the kind of pan one might take on a camping trip rather than have in a home. It confused her until Toriel caused her attention to snap back to the goat mother.

Her pout faded away as she watched Toriel open the door and stick her hands inside to pull out a beautifully golden pie. At first Frisk was concerned due to the fact that she used absolutely no oven protection but it did not seem to hurt her so she relaxed a little. The aroma of sickly sweet butterscotch filled the room even more than before. Toriel set the pie gingerly on the counter and closed the oven with one of her back legs. The tempting smell was causing Frisk to slowly arise from her place on the stool as she stood next to Toriel. She was admiring the handiwork as her mouth started to water. She half expected that Toriel would have won those lavish baking competitions on the surface. She had never smelled anything so delicious in her entire life. She felt a hand on her head still warm, but not hot, from the oven only to look up at her beaming countenance. Toriel truly was so kind to her. It begged the question why Flowey had been so afraid of her before. She would have to remember to save a slice of pie for him secretly so he would be able to enjoy it too.

Toriel patted the child on the head softly before opening her refrigerator to pull out some freshly made whip cream that she very gently set on the counter next to the baked treat. She placed her hands in her lap smile growing wider as she closed her eyes. She was delighted that the human was so excited and could barely stay on their chair. She picked one of the many hanging knives on the rack just above her to cut a slice. A few seconds later and the sound of clanging plate surrounded the kitchen. Toriel had cut the perfect slice. It was not too little and not too much. A little dollop of whip cream added to the sweet making it even more delectable than before. She handed the plate to the human with a little fork and grin. She wanted to know how all her hard work and love tasted. It smelled just perfect. She longingly awaited for the child's approval.

Frisk was going crazy over the aroma that wafted from the plate that was held out to her. She had never had such a lovingly baked treat before. She picked up the fork sliding it into the flaky crust that fell apart with a minimal amount of pressure and into her slice of pie. It was so soft that she barely made any effort to cut it at all. Now was the moment of truth as she opened her mouth to take a bite. The flavors of butterscotch and cinnamon swirled around in her mouth as she savored her first taste. It was indescribable how heavenly that small slice of pie truly was. The bliss was written all over her face as she finally swallowed "its delicious!"

Toriel had opened her eyes to watch Frisk's reaction as she took her first bite. It had been so long since she had anyone sample her baking. The hands that she folded in her lap came to rest at her chest as her bliss grew. She very gently took Frisk's non pie occupied hand to lead her into the living room. She did not want the child to feel uncomfortable sitting on a stool. She pulled the smallest chair out for her and gestured her to sit. As the human sat down in the chair she gently pushed it in only to sit in a chair of her own next to them.

Frisk had been escorted out of the kitchen and into the living room where she was encouraged to sit at the dining table that she did not have the opportunity to examine earlier. Around the marble table top were three chairs of different sizes. One of them was just large enough for her to sit, the second was just the same size as Toriel, and finally the last one was the largest chair she had ever seen. It made the large white marble table seem small in comparison. She mused that it reminded her of the old fairy tale about the three bears. So far the chair she was in was just right. She continued to enjoy her slice of pie and as she savored every flavor she noticed something she had not before. It was a tapestry. It hung on the wall just behind her. She had attempted to face her chair toward the masterpiece in an effort to see it more clearly. The border was entirely black and Frisk was not exactly sure what she was looking at. It appeared to be a tapestry woven in a way that represented the silhouettes of two sides. On one side there appeared to be ears and horns while the other looked normal in comparison. The two sides looked to be opposed to one another with weapons drawn and at the ready. Only when she heard a familiar motherly voice that filled her question engulfed mind did she face her. The look on Toriel's visage could only be classified as anguish.

Toriel had been watching Frisk the entire time as she enjoyed her pie with a big grin on her face. The child was so precious to her. A human too good for the world in which she had been brought into both up there and down here. She watched as the human looked curiously up at the tapestry hanging on the wall before her elation faded. It was time that Toriel explained to the dear child the rights and wrongs of a war that tore their two races apart. A war that so many had forgotten. A war that would prolong the suffering of a people stricken with revenge and the need to survive. The tale held no joy for her. It was just one more bitter reminder of the sorrows that she had accumulated over her lifespan. The kind of pain that she desperately hoped would end with the inquisitive girl sitting in front of her. Her child. Frisk. She very quietly responded as if her consciousness was absent "The war between monsters and humans." It was all she had to say to get the human's attention. Those soulful blue eyes staring up softly in curiosity into her tired citrine ones.

Frisk had almost practically climbed up onto the seat of the chair in an effort to see the tapestry better. She ended up plopping back down when Toriel spoke. She was curious enough about the statement. Her voice held sorrow as they both stared at each other. Why had the war taken place in the beginning? Frisk saw no reason as to why the humans had to fight. She had been told the story before but this was a version through a differently focused lense. There was no telling what missteps or lies had been woven in to make the human side look to be in the right. She did not want to put Toriel through pain especially after all the joy she had given her goat mother. She heard a heavy sigh escape her muzzle as she closed her eyes and began the tale. That was when everything had gone wrong. When everything became twisted to the point that even the monsters had no longer recognized themselves. So she sat there and listened to a tale about war, heartbreak, death, survival, and most of all… _hope_.

 _October 8th 201X_

 _To be continued..._


	7. Long Ago

**Welcome to the Underworld  
** _{Log 1: The Ruins_

 _Entry 5 PII: Long Ago}_

 _Long Ago. . ._

 _When the world was simpler, kinder, and untouched by the ravages of brutality._

 _Two races ruled over Earth: HUMANS and MONSTERS. The humans were comprised of matter and a little bit of magic making them physically powerful but also magically deficient. They began to study the world that they had been born upon. Its laws, its patterns, its functions. Everything had a purpose that could be explained by natural phenomenon. As the ages passed they would eventually create their own kind of magic, science. They could not materialize things from thin air or levitate an object but they had the ability to take those very laws that they had studied and bend them to their will. Anything could be explained by these new laws. It was the age of scientific discovery and progress. The monsters were comprised of the opposite. Though we have physical form the majority of our bodies are held together with magic instead. The magic within us gave us abilities and powers those like the humans had never seen but we too had to master our powers. As time progressed such control would become inherent though fine tuned training as practice was still essential. The humans with their science and we monsters with our magic._

 _We helped each other as a type of relationship between our two races. The humans taught us about the laws that governed their existence while we imparted a piece of ourselves within them. The human soul was such a dull, lifeless thing in those times. It was upright white and void of any hue or color to speak of. Their bodies may have been strong but they lacked something that we monsters had been born with. They could not create, they could not express. It was as if whatever created them made them hollow, and lifeless. Their pursuit to find answers within their world was their only solace. We monsters were different. We were lively and colorful. The contrast between our two people was astounding. We were happy and yet our human brethren to which we shared our world were not. Their lifeless existence drove them deeper into madness until we extended our hand._

 _We would save them by giving them the gift of magic. The very thing that made us colorful and lively. The humans would find happiness in their newfound freedom. They could create, love, and become something more than just a living being. Our great leader took his strongest confidants to meet with the humans. We gave them the gift of magic while they gave us the gift of science that day. The human soul would no longer be void of color or life but dyed a bright vivid hue of personality. Their eyes had been opened for the first time and our people could not be separated. We taught them how to use magic in those days, training them to be able to harness their power in a healthy way. It was what we monsters have named The Golden Era._

 _As time continued to pass we began to understand each others races more and more. A balance through our friendship had become that of a universal constant. There would always be science and there would always be magic. The two coincided as did our two races._

 _Sadly such a peace was not meant to last. As the humans became more powerful the monsters stayed the same. We had not changed like they had in such a short span of time. They eventually mastered the magic of their being and the science in which they had originally so coveted. As the two of our races had merged ourselves with the other so did our ways of life and our mindsets. Monsters used to work in human labs, human children would play with monster children at the daycare or school. These new feelings and emotions that they had given each other had been beneficial to them all. It truly was an era of peace and prosperity._

 _Until…._

 _One day, war broke out between the two races._

 _The humans had become greedy with their pursuit of power, knowledge, and glory. They soon realized our longevity, our abilities, and our strength. It began to scare them all. They feared we would turn against them and put an end to their race even though such a thing had never happened before. We monsters continued with our daily lives until our brothers and sisters began to disappear. It was never enough. They had begun to experiment on their own and on our own. It was an atrocious practice. One which only began to grow as the decades passed. Their souls began to become twisted with an unnatural desire for more power. The magic within us was something they wanted above all else so they began to…_

Frisk had been sitting and listening intently only making facial expressions at appropriate times. Toriel had spoken with such clarity as she recalled the story and yet her voice wavered. She had begun to choke up. A look of troubling pain was glistening within her amber eyes. She could not picture something so horrible. They had coexisted but fear had driven them to war. She had always had an affinity for the poor story of the monsters that she had heard in her horrid town. Now she knew why. She was connected to them in a way the other humans never could be. She had magic like them and though her physical makeup was not like that of a monster, a piece of their original exchange of fellowship was within her soul. Her kindness, her love, her sense of justice was what remained. She had been correct. The monsters were not evil. In fact they had once been different but the world's cruel ways and the vile ways of others had made them what they were. _Fitting..._

Frisk stood from her seat in front of her new goat mother and walked over to her to wrap her arms around her as best as she could. Even for an adult the embrace was a little difficult but she wanted to comfort Toriel. She had only held her hand up until now. Frisk could feel her soft warm fur tickling her arms. Her fur smelt of cinnamon and butterscotch mixed with the scent of a buttery crust and sugar. It was like curling up in a warm blanket with a fluffy pillow. It made her fuzzy inside as a happiness that she so rarely felt washed over her "you don't have to continue the story mom if you don't want to."

Toriel had been lost in the tragic history of her people. It was a story that she knew so well that a book was no longer needed to recite it. As she spoke she visualized each word only to stare off into some unknown place. Her tired honey hued eyes were glued to the tapestry overhead. A piece of art depicting the fall of both human and monster. The beginning of the end. She had been so focused on the tale that when Frisk's sweet voice reached her ears she had just barely registered that the human had risen from their chair to embrace her. Such an action forced her to look down and wrap her arms around the human. She had not felt such love in so long. It brought her warmth but nothing could replace the girl she now held within her embrace. The same girl that called her mother once again.

Instead of having her return to her seat Toriel cradled her in her arms instead. She had choked up during her story but now she felt as though she would be able to continue. She let Frisk's head rest on her shoulder and her legs hang off the side of her lap "no dear I am quite fine to continue."

Frisk would sit there in the goat mother's arms as she waited for the rest of the tale. She feared it would not be happy after this point but she wanted to know. She had never been told the full story. It had always started with the war not the time before. She suspected it was due to the fact that the humans did not want any positive outlooks on monsters. They had to be creatures of blood and death. Creatures that were heartless. A nightmare that would kill you in your sleep but this was not the case. She had known it then as she knew it now. She heard Toriel clear her throat as she began again. Frisk was silent as she once again began to listen intently.

 _The magic within us was something they wanted above all else so they began to experiment on both human and monster alike to further their thirst for power. The experimentation and extraction of souls. It was what the monsters had begun to call soul theory. The human soul was infused with magic which means that it could also be extracted. These experiments continued for longer than we were even aware. They had extracted magic but at a terrible cost. Those that had performed these atrocities began to lose themselves. As a soul gains its magic so could it be stripped. It was not long before humans began to lose their gifts for you see it was tired to us monsters even after generations. They had discarded their humanity and the thing that had once made them who they were._

 _The monster council was outraged by these lowly and unethical experiments. That was when war was proposed. The humans had done us an injustice just as we thought they would. The anger, the hatred, and the ruthlessness was something that slowly leeched into all of us. Those that opposed the solution were quickly silenced. A dark era for both monsters and humanity. We rose up against the injustice only to lose. The remaining ancestors of the humans we had given magic sealed us within this mountain prison._

 _It was only when we were sealed that we had found out about our misdeeds as well. We were no better than they. The monsters had also been doing the same experimentation upon innocent humans. In the end we were both to blame for the atrocities and now we wait for the day when we are once again able to live upon the surface. Our hearts had fallen and so did our souls that day. It was truly the end to all things and so we tell our story to anyone that may listen. Instead of a story of regret it has become a story of hatred and anger. Even we have forgotten all the details and the truth behind our past._

As Toriel concluded her telling of monster and human history she looked up. The story was happy yet tragic as much of history tends to be. In the end both sides were to blame and Toriel knew that. She wished she could have been there to put a stop to all of this hatred. The rage that grew within both humans and monsters. An overwhelming fear keeping them attacking one another even after the events of a war long forgotten by those on the surface. She was happy here. The happiest that she had ever been in her life. Toriel was taking care of her and mothering her. She could only listen to the deep weight that the story put upon her. Had she been there? It was quite possible. Toriel had mentioned that the humans wanted their secrets of longevity and she was sure monsters lived a lot longer than that of humans.

Toriel looked down at her new child and noticed that she was deep in thought. Those cobalt blue eyes swirled with a desire to understand more of what she had explained. They also looked helpless with a desire to mend the divide that had happened so long ago. She knew that look. It reminded her of... "dear me that story is so sad. My child would you like to hear a slightly happier story?"

Frisk had been so deep within her own thoughts that she only snapped out of them when she looked up at Toriel who had a slight smile on her face. It must have been difficult for her to tell the story that she did and yet she smiled at her with love. The goat mother was good at reading how Frisk's mind appeared to work it would seem as she asked if she would like to hear another story. She nodded gently with a smile in return and waited for another tale to be woven like a warm sweater by Toriel's gentle soft motherly voice.

 _Now lets see. Once upon a time there was a small human child. They had tripped over a vine on the edge of a giant mountain. A mountain that would one day live in infamy for those around it, Ebott. The human fell down down down into the chasm only to awake to a softness underneath them. They had landed softly upon a green field. The human was frightened by their fall and ending up in a place that was far away from the world they once knew. The child cowered on their soft bed only to realize that they were not alone for you see a small monster was watching the human from behind a column._

 _He was a goat monster but still only a child. He was just as frightened of the human as the human was of him. He called out with a shaky voice "h...hello? A...Are you hurt?" The human did not know how to react but they were unable to stand. All they could do was respond back "I...I think my leg is broken." The little child emerged from the shadows to help the human to their feet as gently as he could. He had such a kind heart as he led the human back to his family. The child was terrified at first when the mother and father appeared to see what their son had brought back. They were both baffled and shocked by the human that their son now clutched so close to him, his emerald eyes filled with love and a desire to help. At first the family was unsure about the one that had fallen from the surface._

 _The two soon became siblings unable to be without the other for a very long time. They grew up together side by side. After the events of such a tragedy there was hope once again. The human that they had grown to love and treat as their own became a symbol. A symbol of unity. Everyone loved the two and the past had seemed to be forgotten. A hope had been restored that a better and brighter future was on the horizon for us all._

 _One day the human fell gravely ill. The sibling was devastated as the human's soul resided in his hands. You see the human had come from the town next to the mountain and their dying wish had been to see the golden flowers of their home one last time. The sibling took the human in their arms and with the power of the human's soul and his own he crossed the barrier and returned her to the town. The townspeople were afraid of the loving monster that had come to honor their siblings dying wish._

 _The humans of the village attacked the defenseless boy and as he struggled to return home he turned to dust atop the same spot that the human once had fallen all those years ago. The mother and father of the two grieved for a very long time. Their hearts forever shattered by the death of their two most precious children._

Frisk had been staring off the side as she listened to the tale. She had been looking up at Toriel for a long time and her neck had begun to hurt. It was only when she felt a drop of water on her nose that she looked up toward the motherly monster. Toriel had been saying the story in tears "mom… w...why are you crying?" She couldn't bare to see Toriel like this. The pain that was swimming in those yellow eyes like citrine trapped upon a sinking ship. Their glittering splendor submerged forever.

Toriel had been unable to control her emotions when she told the story. The tears that she had shed so many times began to fall on top of the girl in her arms. Her teeth were locked in a painful grit as she held back the painful sobs that would shake her. A soul in desperate need of love. She would have to explain her sorrows to the one that looked into her eyes with pain and confusion "that story was about my son and my daughter. I miss them so. My husband, King Asgore Dreemurr, and I did not see eye to eye on what needed to be done. That is when I was banished here to these Ruins all for the sake of loving a child."

 _*You are filled with a deep pain._

Frisk had a feeling that the story that had been told held a deep significance to Toriel. Then she remembered the picture that she had found on top of the dresser in her room. The boy in the story had to have been hers and the human as well. They had been a happy family. Toriel only confirmed her suspicions when her voice broke the silence. There were tears still within her eyes as she wiped them with one of her thumbs. She had lost so much. A mother losing her only children is something she never should have been put through. It explained why she had tried to destroy Flowey and the golden flowers. The golden flowers were just a reminder of the death of her children.

Toriel arose from her seat with Frisk in her arms as she walked her out of the living room and into the foyer. She proceeded past the staircase and toward Frisk's room. She shifted the girl to one side of her arm so that she could open the door gently. As she stepped inside she set the human daintily on the bed and spoke with a soft tone "now my dear its very late I think it is time for bed. Sleep well." She placed a kiss on her forehead before delicately closing the door only to return to the living room once more. Taking a seat in the chair by the fire she watched the flames dance. Every twirl reminded her of the story she had just told. Her expression was solemn as the multi colored light danced across her face. She was not going to lose another. They were so much like _them_.

Had it not been for her engagement in the story Frisk might have fallen asleep. She had taken a nap not that long ago but she was still exhausted from the day. Toriel had her cradled in her arms as she was lovingly carried back to her room. She had to admit that the kindness was greatly appreciated due to the soreness of her fatigued legs. When she heard the soft click of the door she curled up in the blanket after kicking off her boots and sighed in content. The plush she had placed on the bed before became her companion as she once again fell into dream land for the second time that evening.

 _**{SAVE}**_

 _October 9th 201X_


	8. Discontent

**Welcome to the Underworld  
** _{Log 1: The Ruins_

 _Entry 6: Discontent}_

The imaginations of a mind troubled by the past and future can sometimes not bare well for peaceful repose. Sometimes the mind will fabricate a dream land teeming with vibrance and wonder. Other times it is but a pit from which the creatures of worry and suffering extend their withered limbs to the surface. They claw and pull their way up to drag their victims down below into their inky abyss never again to see the light of day. The worst torture is within the mind for one cannot escape a hell derived from one's own tortured soul. A sea of voices and screams that permeate the air like the stench of a rotting corpse. Multiple voices shouting in unison in helpless agony only for one to realize it is but one voice. Their own voice in different fragmented cries for escape. That is until the darkness is flooded with light and the mind awakens once again. The darkness cowers from the light and yet it still lurks within the shadows. It preys upon weakness and sorrow like a gluttonous beast devouring anything and everything in its wake.

There she was again just floating within the darkness. The never ending black chasm of her subconscious. Everytime her eyes closed this is what had to appear. There was nothing but darkness in every direction. What happened to the dreamscape that she was supposed to be a part of? Had the atrocities that she been subjected to destroy that place for her? Was she doomed to never find rest within her own mind? Just as she felt all was lost the surroundings began to change. At first she feared the same horrifying images that she had witnessed the first time. There was but an empty sky or what could be called a sky anyway. It looked fake as if someone had maddeningly attempted to remember what it once looked like and tried to recreate it on a stone wall. That's when the sensation of falling collapsed upon her. Where she once floated now the laws of gravity had come to fruition sending the terrified girl spiraling downward.

She attempted to logically drive it away but to no avail. There was nothing she could do as the faux sky became more and more lifelike. The further she was from it the less she could tell it was fake. She was going to fall and die just like she had before. There was no escaping the inevitability of every bone in her body shattering upon impact. That, however, was not the case. Instead of waking from the dream to witness her entire body broken she landed safely in a bed. It was the bed that Toriel had so lovingly given to her but something was wrong. There was someone next to her. He appeared to be a goat child very similar to Toriel. She could only reason that this had to be her passed son Asriel. Why was he in her dream? She stood up to inspect the room. It had not changed very much except for there was no creepy shoe basket. _That was a bonus_.

As she attempted to leave the room her attention was directed toward the other human. It was a girl a bit younger than herself. While Frisk was eighteen this girl appeared around her teens perhaps thirteen or so. She wore a sweater of green and yellow just as Frisk had done before she had ended up in the Underworld. They were lovingly looking over their sibling as he slept. She could tell that this human treasured the monster that lay sleeping so peacefully. The look on her face however spoke of a different story. It was a look of love, regret, and sadness all wrapped into one. The feeling of loss surrounded her as Frisk watched them stand to leave the room. It was Frisk's choice to follow the other human. It would appear that there was no way for her to communicate as she had become mute. This was but a dream. A vivid dream but a dream nonetheless.

The two, one a character and the other a spectator, continued to walk down a familiar hallway. It was the same one that was just outside the door to her bedroom. It was no different than it was now. She half expected the human to find Toriel or perhaps the father that had adopted her but no the human walked directly to the left and out the door. As a spectator Frisk struggled to understand where she was. After a second she was able to tell, it was indeed The Ruins. The same pathways, traps, and puzzles that she had traversed in what seemed like an eternity ago. At the end of The Ruins the human stood staring up into the light that was produced by the opening above. The surface was right above their heads but there was no way to reach up and grasp it. A reminder of a seemingly unattainable goal for them both. The human's head dropped as Frisk tried to get a better look.

They were crying. She could hear the soft cries as the human in front of her dropped to their knees in a field of what looked to be yellow flowers. These did not look like the ones from before. Frisk had read some books on plants out of pure boredom but this one stood out. The buttercup flower. It was a yellow flower just like the other but this one looked more like that of a carnation than the ones she had seen. The human took a handful and began to eat them. One by one the flowers disappeared until they coughed. Frisk knew the flowers were poisonous if ingested as she struggled to call out to the human. They were committing suicide but why?! They had a loving family! Now here they were doubled over. The once green and yellow beauty of the field was covered in slick wet blood. The crimson dyed all around it as the humans coughs gained in momentum. There was no stopping the horrifying scene playing before her. The human was going to die and she could do nothing but watch. The blood dripped from their lips as their body shook with pain and as they drew their last breath something began to manifest. It was their soul, as Flowey had put it, the very culmination of their being. It was bright red and glowing with an energy that made Frisk's heart skip. It stayed there until she heard a scream. It was the child from before who had run and dropped to his knees. He held the human within his grasp and sobbed letting his tears of pain drip onto their pale face. The boy said nothing before the scene froze before her.

It was almost as if she had paused a movie and yet she had no control over the screen. She was stuck staring at the suffering of these two siblings. The two siblings that Toriel had loved and adored. One had committed suicide and the other held them broken beyond repair. She wanted to close her eyes but she was afraid she would miss something if she did. Nothing happened until she heard a voice. She felt like a marionette whose strings were woven around her holding her in place. Once again her body continued to betray her. She was unable to move as a shadowy figure appeared within her line of sight. It looked human in form a little bit shorter than her but she could not see their face. It was almost as if they wanted it that way.

 _*Do you understand now?_

Frisk tried to shake her head but to no avail. She would have to voice all that she had witnessed. Her lips shuddered as she opened them to take a breath before speaking softly, "No I don't understand. Why would you show me this? Who are you and what do you want from me?" The figure moved only slightly but not enough into the light that she would see their face. She did however spot a small glimpse of green. She once again tried to reason, "Please help me understand why you keep showing me these things." No reply. Frisk nearly gave up, until there was but a whisper.

 _*I want you to know the truth so you are prepared for what must be done._

Frisk wanted to question and needed more answers then she was gaining but as she was about to ask yet one more the figure disappeared. It only left her once again in the darkness only this time it melted away to another landscape. She was in a forest filled with snow capped trees. She did not know where she was and yet she recognized the giant purple door that loomed just behind her. It had the rune carved into it only this one was frozen over with icicles that hung off its precariously perched metalwork. The path beyond held nothing so she sat there with her back against the door. She wished for a miracle. That she could attain some form of sleep as her eyes slid closed.

How does one sleep within a dream when one is already asleep? A very astute question of course with a less than obvious explanation. The mind is capable of many things including sensation. If one believes their surroundings to be that which they inhabit then those sensations will transfer regardless of logic. This is Frisk's curse. She cannot sleep peacefully unless she does so within her own mind. A kind of way to quiet one's thoughts. Now she had pushed all that surrounds her senses away to be ready for the awakening of the next day.

Frisk awoke to the startled sensation that one has when a death occurs within the dreamscape. It had been quiet before she jolted up in bed nearly gripping her heart within the darkness of the room. It caused her heart to race and her eyes to play tricks on her. Whenever she closed her eyes a new hell awaited her. Every darkness held some terrifying apparition of horror and suffering that she was unable to escape. Her balled up fists rubbed at her eyes trying to tear the images from her subconscious but they stayed before her like a frozen screen. It was etched into the back of her eyelids as she scanned the dark room. She looked tired, drained, and most of all sad. What she had seen was but an explanation to Toriel's lost children. She did not understand why she would know this information or even why it had been shown to her.

Today was another day and so Frisk was DETERMINED to piece together the full story of the tragedy that befell this household. She ran her fingers through her auburn hair before taking a deep breath in the process. It was difficult for one to awaken from slumber so forcefully only to have a mission in mind. She did not have the time to explore the door beyond her own so that was where she was going to explore next. After having experienced the underground environment she was starting to get used to time not being a factor. It was but a human construct after all. The very concept of time did not exist unless you wanted to go by the rotation of the moon and the stars. The measure of when night gave way to day.

Frisk decided this was the time to explore beyond the door. The day prior her feet were horribly sore as she had traversed the bleak landscape of a city long since abandoned. She had made it through puzzles and traps meant to ensnare and put an end to her. It was a pretty rough beginning to the journey but wait why was the word journey the one swimming in her thoughts. A journey implied a higher purpose. A kind of mission. The exact definition was actually an act of traveling from one place to another with an intent to complete a goal. Frisk had just made it to Toriel's that was the extent to which she needed to travel right? There was something that continued to drive her forward. This was but a stop on the long journey ahead but where was she to go?

She swung her feet over the side of the bed making sure to slip her socks on before sliding them into her brown boots. The nightmare had shaken her but not to the point that she was not rested. She could easily take on the day that would be presented before her. A type of desire of discovery drove her to tiptoe toward the door within the blackness. As she placed a dainty hand upon the gleaming gold handle she heard someone clear their throat. Her head turned to see two glowing white eyes within the darkness. They were not their usual ovals but half circles that looked tired or at the very least skeptical.

Flowey had awoken just as Frisk had though he did spy a specific human starting to tiptoe their way out the room. He watched silently before clearing his throat to indicate his presence. He hardly felt comfortable with Frisk wandering around when Toriel inhabited the home in which they now resided. The goat monster had done nothing so far to the human but they could never be too careful. He was unable to move from his potted home but he could get Frisk's attention. His voice was a calm whisper, "Frisk where are you going?"

Frisk blinked when she heard Flowey's question. She supposed that since her flower friend was now awake that she could turn on the lights to brighten the room. It would be easier to see if she was not stuck in the dark. The dark was a place that she feared more than anything. It haunted her in both her dreams and her reality. The light clicking noise that sounded when her finger flicked the light switch upwards rang through the room for a split second before disappearing altogether. The room filled with warm glow illuminating everything within the space. Flowey had his eyes covered with his petals in an attempt to shield himself from the onslaught of light. He blinked a few times with squinted eyes as they lost their glow. His only reaction was to scold his human friend, "Frisk a little warning next time?"

Frisk had not realized how sensitive Flowey might be to the flood of light and deeply apologized only to earn a pat on the head from him. He was not really upset with her but he did tend to give off a kind of feigned caring vibe. She just came to the conclusion that was his standard personality. After some leafy reassurance Frisk spoke softly to answer the question that he had asked only moments prior, "I want to explore the house some more. I had this weird dream and I think it has to do with Toriel's deceased kids".

Flowey was beginning to become used to Frisk's desire to put herself in harms way. He supposed at this point that kind of action was unavoidable so he would do his best to help when needed. He still thought she was a little crazy for having such a low guard but she was not from around here like he was. It was very different on the surface than it was in the Underworld or… so he thought. In the middle of his thoughts he responded rather dryly, "Frisk I am coming with you this time."

Frisk was not startled by his desire to accompany her but she was concerned by the off chance that Toriel would find him. They clearly were not on the best of terms and she was mortified to think that even if she begged and pleaded that she would lose her golden companion. She opened her mouth in protest, "Flowey what if you get caught you know what happened last time. I can't bare to live through that again." The flower sighed in defeat. She was right afterall. If he was caught who knows what would become of him. He just fidgeted when he began to ponder what would happen to his human friend if she crossed Toriel. Another shake of his head and a heavy sigh of acceptance escaped the flower as he dropped his head, "For once your right Frisk. I will stay here but just… just be careful alright?" He peered up at her with a near pleading expression within those white eyes. Who knew the human would touch him so much that he would fear for their safety?

The human nodded in affirmation before opening the door. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Flowey's look of concern as the door gently clicked closed behind her. She did not want to worry him but something was pushing her toward the truth. The dreams that she was having were much too vivid for them to be just a creation of her own subconscious. She had never heard of having visions before but when you were a strange kid like she was, anything was possible.

She turned her head toward the left, an unknown direction that she now was able to traverse. Her boots made silent squeaks as she walked along the carpeted hallway. As expected Frisk passed by some potted plants that guarded the door to her left. The vases were relatively plain compared to the rest of the decor in the home but the white and blue flower that curved its way up from the vase was something she had never seen before. It seemed to glow in places with a kind of bioluminescence. In her eyes all the foliage that she had encountered in the Underworld had its own ethereal beauty. It's twisting and curling vines reminded her of the kind illustrations within the illuminated manuscripts of the dark ages. The spirals and curves gave way to beautifully colored text and images but though it was complex it also held a beautiful simplicity. She sustained a love of the books on the topics of world history, the art and architecture, and other cultures. One day she wished to see all there was to see though the idea of returning to her hellish town on the surface made her shudder.

As she spun away from the unusual flower she saw a wooden door just to her right. Her desire to discover more about the home drove her to try the handle. She half expected it to be locked but instead the door gave way to a dark room. The only thing that was illuminated inside was what looked to be a desk chair from what she could see from the doorway. At first she fumbled around to find the light switch only to drag her hands along the wall for a little bit. The cool metal of the switch she had been searching for finally clicked on nearly blinding her in the process. It was still the same light that was in every room but when one emerges from the dark to be blinded by the sun it's bound to hurt. In an effort to clear the dark spots from her vision Frisk rubbed at her eyes for a moment. Once fully adjusted she moved deeper into the room.

At first glance it appeared to be a quaint bedroom with a bookshelf, chair, desk, and bed. On pure speculation and observation alone Frisk came to the conclusion that this had to be her adoptive goat mothers room. The room, out of all the others she had been in, was relatively simple. Then again nothing could top the decor within the bathroom she now had the joy to use. It was almost as if it had been pulled straight out of a castle and placed within the home. The color scheme of Toriel's room was consistent with the cream, black, red, and gold that she was used to though; there was also some royal purple here and there.

The room was covered in the same wood flooring that she had seen through the entirety of her her stay and complimented the cream colored walls nicely. Not that she was an expert on interior design but it looked nice to her nonetheless. It contrasted well with the dark flooring. The desk had the same treatment as her dresser as she stood in front of it. It had been nestled off to the bottom left hand corner of the room complete with a small wastepaper basket. There were some pieces of crumpled up paper within and what appeared to be red marks. All in all it was a standard wicker trash basket. On the top of the desk was an opened book its edges slightly frayed as if it had been used quite often. That observation would gain more merit as Frisk debated on whether to look more closely at the words written upon the page. She half expected it to be a diary or journal of some sort.

She realized it was a joke book with notes written within the margins. The ones that were circled were ones that Toriel had found needed work and therefore she was going to change them. After reading through the entire page there was a sense to the book that these were not light hearted jokes but jokes filled with a horrible pain. They were rife with a dark sense of humor that at times cause Frisk to cringe. She turned away from the dark book of jokes and began to examine the desk more thoroughly. In the upper right hand corner was a familiar lamp but that was of little importance to the enlightening evidence she found right below it. There were two pieces of loose leaf paper that lay just off to the side. At first the writing was dainty and thoughtful though Frisk did not read the words she did not have to after what she saw the script devolve into.

The once dainty writing became horribly spaced, ink blotches riddled the pages, and the lettering began to look more like a serial killer had wrote it than the monster from before. The two looked nothing alike. The handwriting looked frantic and shaken as if there was a sense of maddened urgency to get the words on the paper. Just looking at it made Frisk's stomach turn as she dare not read what Toriel had attempted to write down. There were a few phrases that stood out from the rest. Unlike the rest of note, even the terrifying killer script, was all in a black fountain pen. The phrases scrawled across the bottom of the page were not in the same pen and in a deep red…

NEVER AGAIN

BETRAYAL

FOR THEIR OWN GOOD

ALWAYS HERE

The frightened human took a few steps away from the horrifying scribbling that she had seen. How could this be? Flowey had been afraid of her the entire time and maybe he was right. Frisk could not process this. She had thought of Toriel as that of a grieving mother not mental. Now that she had seen the inner machinations of her adoptive mother's mind she was unsure if she could continue to search the room. It had to be a one time thing. A measly moment in time that her new mother had lost herself in her pain. That was what she had to continue to tell herself as she continued to examine room with reluctance. The rest of the room did not show any signs of madness. It appeared to be just a normal room with a bed and bookshelf. There were however a copious amount of cacti for some reason. She could neither understand nor explain the decor choice. Her curiosity quenched, Frisk exited the room afraid that if she dug deeper she might find something even more sinister.

The hallway seemed to stretch forever to her left. There was only one door left to investigate at the end of the hallway. She was still pretty shaken by what she had seen but that did not stop her. It never had stopped her. As she walked she shook her head agreeing to let it go. As she proceeded down the corridor the flickering lights illuminated a series of pictures on the wall. At first it seemed like something you would find normally within a home. They were pictures of children, five of them to be precise. Each one had a different characteristic that stood out. One had a cowboy hat, the other a pair of large round glasses. It would have been a normal thing to see the smiling faces of a happy family covering the walls if it were not for the strange colored marks that peeked out under the framed faces. There seemed to be something written underneath the frames as if to hide something. Frisk too would have missed it if the yellow color under the first frame had not caught her eye. It was just barely visible. She gently pulled the wire of the frame off his hook and gasped at what she saw. She repeated the action with all the frames to be sure. They were all in different colors but each one had the same serial killer styled writing that she had seen earlier. It was clearly Toriel that had written these in a fit of maddened sorrow. In each distinctive color was one solitary word.

INJUSTICE

WEAKNESS

SELFISHNESS

INDOLENCE

COWARDICE

Frisk scanned the wall in horror. She did not quite understand the reason behind these negative words but she was now DETERMINED to get to the bottom of these horrid things. As quickly as she had removed them she placed the frames back on the wall. Each child in the picture must have been no older than their teens meaning she was probably the oldest that Toriel had encountered. As she stepped back from the seemingly normal wall now she turned to the door to her right. The fear that had once prevented her from searching more of Toriel's room was gone. There was something going on in this house that had no explanation. It was something that was dark and sinister that caused the hairs on the back of her neck to rise. _What had happened to these other children?_ Did she really want to know. The door that she now stood in front of loomed over her just as the archways of The Ruins had. Their size was just larger than her but it seemed huge. The confusion and fear of discovering something less than savory hung over her as she placed her hand on the door knob. As time began to slow around her she turned the handle only to be greeted with a resounding failure. The door was locked. The sound of jostling could be heard in the hallway for some time before she gave up on trying to pry the door open. In frustration Frisk released the handle to finish her journey down the hallway.

The last thing to explore was a giant mirror. As she stared into it she could see how much better she looked. Of course in the beginning she had looked like a wreck but now she was at least presentable. She was wearing clothing that suited her and though she still looked mildly sleep deprived it had been a great improvement from the sunken eyes she had before. She also finally looked her age though she doubted Toriel would think she was nothing more than a child. That was of course understandable due to her monster life span. Anyone would seem like a child to the goat creature just due to her longevity alone.

*It's you

Yes, indeed, it was. A moderate shake of her head and Frisk returned to her door. She paused before opening it timidly. There waiting within the darkness was her golden companion. She could hear the sigh of relief that came from the opposite side of the room even before she closed the door. She was unsure that what she had witnessed would be a discussion for Flowey. He seemed to know more about Toriel than he let on but she wanted to still give him the courtesy of privacy. All she knew was that she had to get away from this place. It was painful really when you want something so desperately but it turns out to be wrong. In this case so wrong that it sent shivers up and down the poor humans spine. Flowey had been right all along and she should have known but was so blinded by Toriel's kindness that she did not see the full picture. She was not even sure if she would be able to piece everything together even if she tried.

As she moved across the room to pick up Flowey she noticed that within the wardrobe out of the corner of her eye sat a satchel. It was made of a deep chocolate leather with golden rivets here and there for some added decoration. It looked as though it had been used before but had been long since forgotten. Thinking that a bag of some sort would be of use Frisk slid the satchel over her head only to hear a familiar voice.

Flowey watched as his human friend opened the door to their room. He was relieved that they were still in once piece after their exploratory adventure. There was no telling the consequences if they had been caught by Toriel while snooping around the hallway. He was going to say something to them but instead he sat quietly and watched Frisk frantically move about the room with intention. There had to be some reason as to why all of a sudden Frisk had become so spooked. He looked at her as she snatched the satchel. Now he knew she was clearly jostled to the point that leaving was now of the utmost importance, "Frisk is everything alright? You look kind of spooked. Did you see something?" He asked the question filled with genuine concern which was rare for him. There was something about this human that pulled these kinds of feelings and responses out of him naturally.

Frisk's head turned in the direction of Flowey only to barely answer his question with a single word, "later." He seemed to understand this response as he relaxed and let Frisk pick him up from his potted home. This way he was able to travel like they had before within The Ruins. He was still concerned about what Frisk had seen that caused her to act in such an impromptu manner but he knew that she was unwilling to discuss the topic right now. He would be the quiet look out as the two slipped out of the room ready to go. There was something that spurred her on in addition to the things that she had witnessed. She had to leave. She had to get to the end. An energy began to flow into her that she did not realize that she had. Her gaze fell on Flowey once again as she sneaked down the hallway, "Flowey do you know how to get out of here?" She replied in a soft whisper.

Flowey had a pit feeling within his very soul as they cautiously made their way down the hallway. The flickering of the fire shaped sconces along the wall seemed to be more ominous than before. Only when she whispered to him was his attention pulled away from the sinister lighting, "Just down the staircase in the main room there is a basement. The door leading out of The Ruins is at the end of that hallway." Even though he was practically attached to the human he worried more for her safety than his own as Frisk made her way into the main foyer. The entryway of the home that had used to feel so welcoming and warm began to give off a malevolent presence. It was the same aura that Frisk had felt earlier before she had walked through the door. The feeling was back and in full force. Just a few steps and they would be descending the staircase into the bowels of the house. The promise of freedom lay just within the couples grasp. One step. Two steps. Three steps.

As Frisk's foot gently tapped the top step of the foyer stairs she heard a creaking noise coming loudly from the floorboard. It was almost as if she had set off an alarm as the offending noise rang in her eardrums. _That's not good_. The next moments caused her blood to turn to ice in her veins as the sound of loud footsteps came from one of the rooms beyond. She knew it could only be one person or rather monster, _Toriel_. Her heart was in her chest as she attempted to quickly descend the steps only to freeze in place near the bottom when a shadow obstructed her light further down the stairs.

The goat monster stood tall looming over the human that was now half way down their second flight of stairs. At first Toriel was rather confused by this turn of events. She thought that perhaps the child had simply been one for exploration and that they were intrigued by the mysteries that lay below. She had nothing to hide of course in that regard only the door that led out of her home and into the monster Underworld beyond, "My dear whatever are you doing down here?" Her tone was soft, not at all scolding. That was when she spotted the satchel resting against the humans side and the loathsome flower she had torched earlier. Her motherly tone cracked, "...and why is the weed with you? It would appear that you are in a rush." This human child that she had promised herself she would save and protect was abandoning her!? She had been sure that she was different than the others before her. How could she do such a thing!? How could she abandon her own mother!? She was going to lose another whether it be from the monsters beyond The Ruins or her own husband.

Frisk did not even turn to look at Toriel's face. She did not need to see it as her tone of voice made it clear to her that she was livid. Frisk was running away from what could have been her family. It broke her heart but she had to keep pressing forward. When she heard Flowey mentioned by the less than kind nickname of "weed" she knew it was time to take action. Deep down Frisk already knew that her legs would have to carry her to freedom, "I'm sorry mom." Those three words slipped past her lips as she began to sprint down the stairs. At first she thought the only dilemma would be the running but boy was she wrong. The dark hallway beyond lit up with a crack and snap of fire. The blazing inferno behind her increased as she ran. She could feel the temperature rising as other crack of fiery ammunition were hurled after her all by a screaming Toriel.

Toriel stood silently at the top of the stairs awaiting some kind of reply from the child that she kept most dear. When Frisk took off down the stairs her rage grew as did the fire which began to eat its way down the corridor. It began to consume everything in sight, lighting up the walls in a blazing inferno. Her voice was raw as she screamed down the hall, "YOU INSOLENT BRAT! YOU ARE ABANDONING ME! YOU ARE NOT BETTER THAN THE REST OF THEM! I LOVE YOU! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME HERE!" She had tears streaming down her fur as she tried to stop the human. It would only take one precisely aimed projectile and the human would be unable to leave.

Frisk could hear Toriel's screaming and pleading wails behind her as she ran. She barely even registered what had happened at first. She turned her head to look back for a fraction of a second. All time seemed to slow to a halt as the room grew in intense heat. That's when she fell to the ground. A blood curdling scream was ripped from her throat as she fell. The searing pain that licked its way up her legs was unlike any pain she had ever experienced. All she could smell was her own burning flesh as the fire ate away at her skin agonizingly slow. The floor was now slick with blood and Frisk was losing consciousness. All she could hear was Flowey's screams as if she had been pulled underwater. There is a point in which the pain no longer registered. Her own burning body causing all her senses to die as she did. This was the way it was going to happen. She was burning alive. This was how she was going to die. Her vision could no longer hold on as there was nothing left to feel. The flames had eaten away nearly to the bone, exposing muscle as it continued to burn away all that she once had been. A final voice could be heard as her vision went black.

** _{Don't Give up….Continue?}**_

 _October 9th 201X_

 _End of Entry..._


	9. Betrayal

**Welcome to the Underworld  
** _{Log 1: The Ruins_

 _Entry 7: Betrayal}_

Light, unbearable harsh light creeped into her vision. It was blinding, burning, cloudy as the flames licked into her vision. It was the scorched flashing from the flames that had blinded her. The light gave way to darkness. A pitch black that she was familiar with. It drew her closer into its depths and dragged her away from the glow that was now but a pin prick before her. Her limbs felt weightless and immovable each moment. As if the fire had burned away her ability to control her own body. Everything felt so distant. A question hung within her mind. _Was this what it is like to die?_ It was not peaceful by any means but all her worries seemed to burn away along with her once human body. The darkness embraced her as her eyes slipped closed. This was the end. This was the finale to her story. A story of tragedy, sorrow, and never ending suffering.

That was when she could feel a hard floor underneath her broken body. Her cobalt blue eyes fluttered open as inky lashes parted for her to see. She was staring up into a light. It caused her to squint her eyes in an effort to save her already burning retinas. Turning away from the light Frisk felt a coolness against her cheek as she slowly rolled onto her side. How could she still be alive? How would anyone survive something so horrifying? She saw nothing beyond the pool of light her partially functioning body was laying in. This was the only illumination in the space which she had woken up to. In confusion as well as apprehension she sat upright holding her arm. She had seen it burn slowly. The flesh had melted off her very muscles and bones like a melting snowman. The image was branded into the backs of her eyelids as she shoved the palms of her hands against them. She was shuddering uncontrollably trying to rid herself of such a horrible way to die. When she pulled her hands away she stared at the shaking appendages. They were whole, not a single scratch to be seen. Not a burn mark to witness. It was as if the scene from before never had happened in the first place.

The chime of a bell alerted the terrifyingly bewildered human to a marque floating just in front of her. It must have appeared after the noise that she had just heard. Her legs were wobbly as she stood to investigate the menu. It reminded her of the boxes that she had seen before when she had touched that dazzling sparkling star. It was a black box with a white border and within it were words.

 _*You are the hope of both humans and monsters. Don't give up… keep going…?_

A singular question that stood out to her in an eerie red text. What did it mean by keep going? Her a hope to both races? What was this a kind of cruel sick game? She had died that was the end but as she stared at the panel two choices stood out at the bottom 'yes' and 'no'. She had an option to refute death itself? She could return to Flowey and fix all that had been done? How was such a thing even possible. Her raised hand lingered on the glowing main frame. Who was she to cheat death in such a way. Something drove her. She had remembered Toriel's story and though the goat beast had burned her alive, something she desired never to feel again, she knew what grief could do to the hearts of others. One begins to lose themselves and their faculties. Frisk had attempted to leave so that she could continue through this monster infested prison. Toriel's reaction was expected especially after all the kindness she was given. She remembered the wailing mournful cries as she had slipped out of consciousness.

Her hand pressed down on the 'yes' option only to see the screen burst into a shower of golden lights. It was beautiful to her as she watched a kind of magic begin to surround her. Her soul, a cobalt blue heart, manifested its bright glow from her chest. The fluttering representation of her very being was no longer whole as it had once been. It was a lot duller in glow then before and cracked right down the middle. It was two identical halves that mirrored each other. As if stating the obvious to someone her tone became hushed as she began to speak "the dead's souls no longer are whole. They are broken and shattered. I… really am dead." Frisk dropped to her knees as she stared at the sad state of who she once was. Just then the golden light from before showered its magical essence down upon the broken heart. The light slipped between the cracks creating golden threads that attached one piece to the other. In a gentle pull the threads moved the broken soul back into position and with a burst of light the heart had become whole once more. It's glow flourished in vibrance until it had returned to its original state and once again rested within the girl on the floor.

The feeling was something that Frisk could not describe as she placed a hand over her chest. A new found energy began to flow through her until other lights began to appear above her head. One after the other they opened only to swallow her in the same golden light. She reached her hand upward unable to see it any longer, before...

Frisk shot up from her bed panting as if she had just run a marathon. Her heart was hammering within her chest so hard that she was afraid it might crack one of her ribs. Her blue eyes stared endlessly at the wall of her room. Her eyes were larger than saucers the pupils dilated in fear and confusion. Her body felt no different but she had an overwhelming feeling of dread that was hovering over her. The human placed her head within her hands, red hair spilling over her shoulders as she tried to calm herself. Her fingers were laced deeply within her auburn locks as she shook. She had died. A blistering, branding, scorching agony of death. The feeling was nearly indescribable like standing on the surface of the sun. She was back in her room. She stayed just like that for what felt like hours only shaking periodically as her body attempted to adjust itself. Had she dreamed it all? More like a nightmare. She removed her once shaking hands away from her face. Somewhere between her panic attack and trying to calm down she had expressed sadness. She did not remember crying and yet her cheek were wet.

If this was her room then Flowey would be silently snoozing where she had last seen him before she had fallen asleep. Sure enough on top of the cabinet was Flowey as his head tilted toward the floor in a quiet slumber. She could even hear his soft breathing when she focused on her potted friend. It would appear that nothing had moved or changed since she had dozed off. That was somewhat reassuring. All the things that she had witnessed. The crazy scribbling behind deceased children's picture frames, the mad writings on paper within Toriel's room, and her fiery end had all been a horrifying figment of her imagination. Why would she conjure up something so disturbing? Regardless of the answer she laid back down on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Toriel would not have done something so horrible to her, right? Even so how had she survived?

Unable to answer any of the questions that nagged at the back of her mind she turned to her side to look at Flowey. He looked so peaceful and yet she noticed that at times his face would twitch in a way that was signify that his dreams were far from pleasant. He displayed no auditory distress and yet she could sense something was wrong. She sighed once more before letting her eyes slide closed. Only when she did she saw the gorey details of her own flesh melting away like butter left out in the direct rays of the sun. The images were undeniable and so real. She could still feel the flames licking at her body. Unable to close her eyes Frisk positioned herself to slide off the bed and onto her feet. Her gaze landed on the doorknob but as she went to grab it she heard Flowey's voice.

 _Flowey had awoken just as Frisk had though; he did spy a specific human starting to make their way out the room. He watched silently before clearing his throat to indicate his presence. He hardly felt comfortable with Frisk wandering around when Toriel inhabited the home in which they now resided. The goat monster had done nothing so far to the human that now felt at home but they could never be too careful. He was unable to move from his potted home but he could get Frisk's attention. His voice was a calm whisper "Frisk where are you going?"_

Unlike before, Frisk turned to face Flowey in confusion. Had that not been the exact same thing that he had asked her before? No of course not that was just a nightmare. She shook her head and responded in kind, "I need some fresh air Flowey." She gently flicked the light switch on this time finding exactly where it was no fumbling required. _Flowey had his eyes covered with his petals in an attempt to shield himself from the onslaught of light. He blinked a few times with squinted eyes as they lost their glow. His only reaction was to scold his human friend "Frisk a little warning next time?_ "

Frisk froze in place before she apologized like she felt she had before. She felt a shudder over take her body as she attempted to explain the phenomena that she was experiencing. It was almost as if she had been through all of this before but it wasn't perfect. She was experiencing a nauseating inducing form of deja vu. She had once read about it within a medical book that she had found a long time ago. The exact definition of deja vu if she remembered correctly was a feeling of having already experienced a present situation. That was clearly what she was having now. As she stood there Flowey had one eyebrow raised. Frisk had been pacing back and forth and yet not saying a word since she had turned on the light. She looked like something was eating away at her to the point that her bright eyes were stormy in concentration. Still quite befuddled by her behavior Flowey opened his mouth to speak, "Frisk are you alright you look stressed. Did something happen?"

Frisk had been absent mindedly pacing back and forth over and over perhaps burning a hole in the carpet. She fidgeted and looked at Flowey as he pulled her back out of her screaming thoughts. He did not say it directly but she had become a pretty good judge of body language. He was clearly concerned about her current nervous energy. How could she tell him what she was thinking? He would think that she had gone mad. She had to try if only to put the argument down once and for all that before had been nothing but a dream and she was in no mortal danger here. Her stride took her to stand right in front of Flowey. She had to stoop down to his level in order to look him in the eyes properly but she didn't care. One deep breath later and she began, "I woke up from a horrible dream Flowey. We both tried to escape but Toriel caught us and burned us both. It was horrible and I can't get it out of my mind. I feel like all of this has happened before and I can't shake the feeling. I am going insane aren't I? I hit my head harder than I thought I did."

At first Flowey's expression was thoughtful but as she processed her ramblings his face twisted into a frown. As she ended saying something about losing her mind he placed a leaf like palm over his face and swayed his head. The poor girl. That was all he could think as he proceeded with his next set of words carefully, "You are not crazy Frisk. Those things. They really happened." He lifted his hand to peek up at her. The expression on her face was a combination of diffidence, trauma, panic, and confusion. All in one expression as he reached his leafy hand out to her. He would have to explain himself, "Look Frisk you did a reset. It's an ability where when you die you can keep going. I used to be able to do them myself but I lost the ability when you showed up for some reason. I remember the past timeline too. I wanted to spare you from the pain. I'm sorry Frisk." His eyes were downturned painfully as he remembered what had happened to them both. He could still hear the humans cries of agony ringing within his mind.

Frisk just stood there. It felt like the entire ground beneath her feet had given way and she was spiraling downward into a deep chasm of pure horror. Flowey knew that those horrible things had actually happened to her. She had died but she had been brought back somehow. The clock had reversed itself back to the point in which she made the fatal decision to sneak away. Her lip had begun to quiver as she tried to process all of this information that felt as if she was being steamrolled by a freight train. Flowey's gentle gesture of comfort caused her to relax to the best of her abilities. So it was true? Everything that she had been through had truly happened but within a different timeline. The very implication of that made her head throb.

The other questions that she had swimming in her mind before her untimely demise seemed to make their way to the surface once again. If Flowey knew this then his knowledge extended more than she once had to ask. The mysteries of the unknown were devouring her "Flowey do you know about the children?" She waited quietly for his answer. She noticed that as soon as her golden companion had heard of her knowledge of the information he had pulled his hand away. A look of dread passed over his flower like face. He had always been pale in color but now he almost looked as white as a sheet as he gawked at her.

Flowey was petrified by the question. That was the last thing that he had expected Frisk to ask of him. It was true that he knew about the children though not personally. He only knew what their purpose was for and why he had been so adamant about Frisk's safety. She was continuing to stare at him expecting an answer. All he could do was swallow the lump forming within his throat and begin to attempt to explain just exactly how tragic the Underworld truly was, "Frisk when you spoke with Toriel did she tell you a story?" He watched as she nodded, "A story about how the monsters became trapped down here right?" Once again another nod. A deep sigh of sorrow shook his plant like frame as he closed his eyes to explain, "The seven humans that sealed us down here were mages and wielders of magic. Each mage had a special trait within their very soul that represented them. There was justice, bravery, kindness, patience, perseverance, integrity, and determination. The barrier that rose was indestructible except for one fatal flaw. The power of the seven souls could be used against the barrier it would be broken and all would go free. The only way to obtain a human soul… Frisk… is if it no longer inhabits a body." His tone had grown from informational to deeply disturbed, "Your a soul of integrity Frisk that bright cobalt blue makes it recognizable. They have already obtained six of the seven. Do you understand now?" He looked at her with pleading in his eyes. She needed to understand the kind of danger she was in. How one false move could end with her death, DETERMINATION or not.

Frisk placed a hand just over her heart as she had a flashback to the very beginning of her fall. The heart that had appeared every time she encountered a monster. This strange place filled with monsters and magic. All of it had caused it to manifest itself. She could feel something deep within her starting to spread its wings. It was bright and mysterious but also powerful. She could feel it running through her veins unable to fully comprehend her own capabilities as she traversed this unknown mountain prison. As she continued to reflect a blue glow began to form where her heart resided. Its brilliant cobalt light flooded the room turning everything around it the same color of her eyes. Her soul manifested. A soul of integrity. A soul that sparkled like a gem within the open palms of her hands. This was who she was. A single, fragile little heart. She marveled at its beauty before she felt like she was being dragged forward suddenly.

Flowey had taken a hold of the shimmering heart gently. If Frisk would not understand by words then perhaps she would better understand with demonstration. He held the soul in his leafy grasp as the human was sent flying toward him only to stop herself. The soul was a powerful thing especially that of a human but it was also something that could be manipulated. As if its shape was not already an indication it was fragile like a heart "Frisk I don't know what I have to do to get you to understand other than this. Do you feel that? The pain… the loss of control. I am but one monster that could easily manipulate you."

Frisk felt a pain swell within her as Flowey squeezed the blue heart within his hands. He did not squeeze too hard but she felt the pain that came along with her very essence outside of its rightful place. Her hand gripped her chest as she was dropped to her knees. Her chest began to constrict as if the life was being squeezed out of her. The auburn hair that distinguished her from many others hung lifelessly plastered to her face from the torment. The tightness in her chest subsided and she gasped for the breath she had lost. Her lungs were burning. It was almost as if someone had taken a vice to her throat. Her entire body was shuddering from the strain.

Flowey quickly released the soul as not to harm the human but his demonstration had gone a little too well. Frisk was on her hands and knees almost unable to breathe. Her soul was unique and powerful. A monster with that power however could drop the poor girl to her knees. It might have explained why she was to trusting and open. Her soul reflected that in its physical and magical makeup. When she did not speak the pain that he had inflicted upon her set his emotional state on edge. He cried out to her trying to see if she now understood, "Do you see now how fragile you humans are! Your souls are strong but also feeble. Frisk I am sorry I had to show you. That feeling within you. Please Frisk you can't keep going. The other monsters if they get a hold of your soul...there is no telling what they might do. Some may take it straight to Asgore but others..." He could not even finish his sentence as he banished the thoughts from his mind with a violent shake of his head.

Once she had regained her breath she stood shakily though her face was hidden by a curtain of auburn hair. She looked more pale than usual but as she raised her head she had a smile on her face. She knew she was a rather stubborn individual and that would never change. Flowey had meant no harm. He cared about her so much that he needed to prove this to her. The power of the human soul was a mystery to her as was the effects when the owner no longer retained it. The now floating heart drifted to her outstretched hands only to return to the place it belonged. Her golden companion looked as though his emotions had reached their limits. She gently wrapped her arms around him the best she could giving him a reassuring hug, "It's alright Flowey I understand now. You care so much. Thank you."

Flowey did not realize it until the human smiled at him the way that she always had. He had tears streaming down his cheeks. He had been so worried for her safety and to watch her die right in front of his eyes. It was more than he could bare. This human had done something to him. She had given him hope. The hope needed for a brighter future for all of them. He had a friend that he cherished. The time they had known each other was not a factor, "F….Fri...Frisk." His small leafy arms wrapped around her neck gently as he hugged her back.

She gingerly removed herself from their friendly embrace with the same grin from before. She knew the danger of this journey but something inside her pressed her forward. It was not going to be easy and the road would be paved with hardship but she needed to do it. No she was DETERMINED to do it. The monsters had become this way because the war and because of their inescapable prison. No one deserved to be locked away like feral animals in a cage. It was not right. Her people had done this and she was going to be the one to end it, "Flowey you know I care about you but I must do this. Something… something inside of me is pushing me forward." She looked down at her petite pale hands as she spoke once more, "I am going to right the wrongs of my people. I am going to bring hope back to the monsters of the Underworld. No matter what it takes. This I vow." She closed her open palms into fists before turning back to Flowey who had shocked tears within his eyes.

There were no words that needed to be said in that moment. Flowey knew that there would be no changing this humans mind. They were going to see this through. He could have sworn that something within her soul blossomed another color in that moment. The color of blood the color of DETERMINATION. He rubbed at his head for a moment before sighing in exasperation. He had dropped his head so his expression was no longer readable until he lifted it again to look at her. He looked worn out but his smile also spoke volumes to his emotional state. It was a kind of sad acceptance, "You're too stubborn for your own good you know? It's going to get you killed… _again_."

Frisk no longer looked like she was struggling with the events that had happened just before she woke up. That glimmer within the depths of her cobalt blue eyes spoke volumes about her finding her purpose. She was going to see this through no matter the hardship. Her stance had become straighter as her confidence shone through. The only question was what was the next step? Her stance of confidence changed to one of deep thought. If she could not get past Toriel in an escapist sense then perhaps speaking with the goat creature might be beneficial. It would look less like betrayal and more like discontent.

After her thoughts formulated into some semblance of a plan Frisk walked swiftly over to the dresser to once again find the leather satchel that she had grabbed just before her prior untimely demise. She swung the satchel over her head so that the leather strap nestled just perfectly between the space between her shoulder and her neck. She was once again ready to go. Flowey was still looking up at her with a spark of concern in his eyes but he never said a word to stop her. Frisk was unsure if she should bring Flowey with her or not. He was always helpful she was just concerned about what would happen to him if Toriel found him again. She slowly extended her hand out to the sentient golden flower waiting for his response.

Flowey spectated as his human partner grabbed the things she would need on their long journey but as she did she turned to him and reached out toward him. He had a choice, live in fear that the Underworld would stay like this till the end of the time or take a chance and change the world. Him and this human that was too kind and much too sweet to even be trapped in such a place. She had a kind of inner light that he had never witnessed before as she stood there asking for him to join her. He reached his leafy appendages upward to accept her offer. There were no words necessary as his pot was gently picked up and placed in the satchel she now had resting on her hip. The flower monster poked his head up and out of the bag to get a better look. This was a great hiding place for him as he could just duck down to avoid Toriel's gaze and yet he did not have to stay behind and worry about Frisk from afar.

The pair locked eyes with one another before exchanging smiles, "Alright Flowey I have a few ideas but first I want to do some more exploring." The golden flower tilted his head as he rested his hand under his plant like chin. It was almost as if he was leisurely resting in a hammock, "Frisk I thought you already explored the entire house what more could you possibly find?" He had to think about it for a moment and came to no conclusions much to his chagrin. Frisk on the other hand responded almost immediately to his inquiry, "I explored the entire house but after my discoveries in Toriel's room I was much to shaken to check anything else. I think I could possibly find something in there." She watched as his face contorted in thought. No other words were exchanged in that moment as the pair found themselves out in the hallway. This time Frisk did not bother with menial details. She quickly made it to Toriel's door only to swing it wide open. The feeling of dread hit her as soon as her eyes found the desk which continued the horrors of the once motherly goats madness.

An audible gulp could be heard as she gently closed the door in order to disway suspicion. Her feet reluctantly took her to the desk as she moved some books and papers around. A few pieces of parchment had fallen onto the ground as the two both rummaged through some more personal letters. She pulled Flowey from the leather satchel and lightly set his pot onto the desk as he continued to look. She had a feeling that there was something in this room that would be enlightening but she just couldn't place it. She had learned to follow her gut instinct. It had served her well so far. She passed by some family photos on the wall before stopping in front of the book case. She had not looked very closely at it before, perhaps due to the fact that there was nothing of real importance. What she had glanced over the first time was that the bookshelf sported a suspicious set of double doored cabinets.

Her boots made a squeaking sound as she squatted to take a closer look. There were no locks of any sort but she supposed that due to the fact that Toriel had lived alone the security was not of any value. She could still hear Flowey opening and closing some of the drawers in the desk as she gently slid her fingers into the metal handle. The door slid to the right exposing the contents within. There were some supplies such as loose leaf parchment, quills, and ink. What caught her eye was a leather bound book. It was a deep purple with golden lettering on it though it looked like it had been severely worn. It's binding was starting to fall apart and the leather was cracked making spider web like indentations on the front cover. It looked to be a book of some kind. She tried to decipher the faded lettering that was staring at her but she just couldn't place it. All that she could make out were a series of letters _y ild en._

Her fingers ran over the front cover. It took her awhile to muster up the courage to open the album within her grasp. Her heart was pounding in her ears. Why had a book created such apprehension within her. Flowey had been looking over at Frisk for quite some time now. He had found nothing within the drawers other than the disturbing scribbling that he only guessed Frisk had seen on round one, "Heya… uh Frisk you alright?" He watched as she was jolted from her staring contest with the book resting in her lap. The look on her face when she turned her head to look at him caused him to motion her to him. There was something about the leather bound book that caused her distress. It would be better if they both looked at it together right?

Frisk noticed the motion as she stood to her feet and walked to sit in the chair at the desk. It was much too big for her but at least she was able to calm her shaking aura. She had learned that the feelings she was dealing with had a purpose and they were rarely wrong. She set the book on the desk in front of them both before opening it to the first page. It was a scrapbook. Her nerves started to calm as she quickly flipped through it only to see pictures of the children she had seen in the hallway. The horrifying imagery stuck in the back of her mind as she turned to the front of the book. Each page had a name and some notes as well as a sepia photograph. Each page was well thought out and very informational. Some of the writing was in Toriel's hand and some was in a child's hand. Each one had a different theme to it. Some of them even had small doodles that a child might make with a crayon.

Flowey stayed silent as he stared at the scrapbook. It was basically a memoir of all the children that Toriel had taken care of. All the children that had perished at the hands of the monsters here in order to be a means to an end, "The six children. Frisk this is them." His neck strained as he tried to read the wording on the page. The human said nothing. She just ran her hand over the first page. This was her fate? She was going to be the last page added in this book someday? What be written about her? Flowey had been trying to get her attention for nearly minutes now but she was just staring downward. No. She could not let this stop her. Flowey had to speak up louder in order to pull her out of her stupor, "Frisk you don't have to read this come on…"

Flowey was right. She did not have to read about the past. This was not about the past. This was about the future. Her eyes fell closed as she sealed the cover of the album only to lean back in the chair. Toriel had once been a mother of many children even if they were not her own. She had taken care of them over and over only to have them leave and eventually perish. She had tried so desperately to keep them safe and yet they never listened. Now all that was left of them were a few photographs and a book of lost memories. She pushed herself up from the chair using the desk as leverage. She abruptly picked up Flowey, much to his protests, and placed him in the satchel, "Frisk FRISK what are you doing? Where are you going?" The human did not answer but she headed for the door only to stand in the hallway once more. If there was any hope of her leaving this place and continuing her journey she had to talk to Toriel. No more running.

She walked closer and closer to the living room with each stride she could feel her strength and courage growing. As she stood in the doorway between the foyer and the living room she halted. There was Toriel sitting and reading a book. Her glasses were perched on her nose as she read the material only occasionally moving to adjust the blanket that she had draped over her lap. When Frisk came into view her face pulled up into a smile. She was happy to see her. If only she knew what had happened before, "Oh dear what are you doing up so early? Is there something that you would like from me?" Toriel was overjoyed to see the human once more standing before her. Her child. Her safe and protected child. She gently set down the book to rest it upon the blanket in her lap before her smile grew. The fire that crackled right beside her gave off a warming orange and yellow light. A small gesture for Frisk to sit on the floor beside her caused the human to walk over and take the offer, "Now my dear what is it you would like to talk about? Or perhaps you would like to hear another story or perhaps a joke?"

Those blue eyes stared up at her as Frisk took a seat beside the fire. Her eyes reflected the flame just across from her, a fire that danced in seas of blue. The human pulled her legs to rest off to the side as she enjoyed the warmth. She should have been paralyzed by the prospect of being within a torrent of them like before but that was the past now. The way that this power worked was that no one knew their misdeeds and thus Frisk would not hold that to them. She knew that she would have to handle this conversation with as much care as she could muster as not to trigger a rage within the goat monster.

 _*Tread lightly_

She didn't reply at first just keeping her gaze on the flames within the grate. She thought that perhaps some quiet would do their conversation good. She did not want to add to the grieving mother's pain. In one lifetime a mother could lose one child and that was even too much to bear but seven children that was more than even the fullest heart could handle. The crackling fire was inviting as she sat there. Toriel had been watching over her with a gentle hand resting on the book she had been reading prior to the humans entrance. They did not say a word but instead stayed silent watching the flames. The goat monster almost felt as if she had done something wrong for the human to stay so quiet, "Dear?" Her voice was soft but there was a tinge of pleading within it. The girl was all she had left. Even her late husband was someone she had denounced so long ago that her loneliness only continued to gnaw within her.

Frisk turned her head to look up at Toriel. She had her mouth in a tight line only to ask for her response as quietly as possible. She had been mulling over in her mind how she would phrase what she was about to say. Meanwhile, Flowey still hiding within the contents of Frisk's leather satchel, strained to hear the conversation about to take place. His worst fear was that Frisk would misstep and send Toriel into a frenzy but he also believed in the soul of integrity. That soul that shone so brightly that it lit up the darkness of their shared room. He had faith in her. When silence fell over the room he was afraid that he had missed something but as he pulled apart the flap of the bag from its base he could tell that Frisk was just deep in thought. She was perfectly fine.

Frisk shifted her stance on the floor so that she would be a little more comfortable as she spoke. She decided on a childish indian style way of sitting turning her attention directly on the monster in the chair. Toriel had her eyes trained from behind her bespectacled gaze. There were points that her eyes were hidden by then just due to the glare upon the lenses making her seem a little more intimidating than before. In fact the image reminded Frisk of a strict teacher if she had to place it. It took her a moment to collect her thoughts, "Mom can I ask you a question?"

Toriel, not knowing what her daughter wished to discuss, heaved a heavy sigh of relief before smiling down upon the human child, "Yes of course dear what is it?" She chose her next words carefully, "If I ever wanted to see more of the Underworld would you let me?" It was clear but also not accusatory. She did not ask to leave but rather see more of her world. She hoped that such phrasing would be enough for her to gain some of Toriel's favor.

Toriel's posture immediately indicated that she was uncomfortable with this question but as her eyes fluttered closed still hidden but the lenses of her glasses she spoke with conviction, "You wish to leave? You wish to be like the others? I had such high hopes." Frisk made no effort to move. This was either going to work or fail she did not know the outcome unless she tried. The response to her question made Frisk unsure if she had said the right thing so she waited. The silence that she had once imposed upon Toriel had now turned on her. It was gravely quiet. All that could be heard was the crackling of the nearby fireplace. The logs splitting and smoldering causing sparks to fly up from time to time.

She rapidly shook her head to refute the fact that she did want to leave just not in the way that Toriel had taken the words out of context, "N...no mom I swear I just… I wanted to learn more. I know this is just one place I can do that. That… that is why I asked." At first Toriel's face stayed the same tight line but then it softened. Had it worked? That was when Toriel removed her glasses to set them on the book from earlier the content within the pages now forgotten, "My dear as much as I would love to show you this place it is much too dangerous for a human child. I do not wish to see you hurt. Do you understand?" Of course Frisk could understand Toriel's apprehension but she needed to do this. Another sigh filled the room. The goat monster had yet to open her eyes, "That look in your eyes reminds me of my first. A recklessness that would lead to their death. It is dangerous Frisk the other monsters they will not be so merciful. Please forget this foolish quest and stay here where I can protect you." Her voice was pleading but also commanding. It was becoming quite clear to Frisk now that Toriel was not going to let her leave voluntarily. Though her sanity seemed to not be in question now there was no telling when she would snap.

She shook her head once more, "Mom please. I need to do this. I nee-" She was cut off by a circle of fire that sprung up all around her. There was nowhere for her to run. She was trapped. As Toriel stood her eyes sprang open. What had once been amber was now the kind of eyes you would see in a horror picture. There were deep black pits where the whites of her eyes should have been. All that she could see were the two glowing yellow slits that formed in their abyssal depths. These were the eyes of despair. The eyes of true madness, "I hoped it would not come to this. I prayed to the stars we could be together forever. Don't you love your mother?" All Frisk could do was audibly gulp at the sight before her. This was not the goat mother that had guided her and helped her before. This madness had consumed her to the point that she was no longer herself any longer. The only indication that Toriel was left within the hollow shell of a monster were the tears that began to stream down her cheeks. They fell endlessly never stopping once.

The fire was beginning to close in on her as Toriel watched the flames unable to reflect upon eyes that no longer held anything but despair. They were but deep recesses within a hollowed out shell. She was going to burn again. The smoke burned her already abused lungs. The only reaction it had left was trying to expel the toxins with a bone shuddering violent fit of coughing. She did not remember it from before but there was more to burn here. There were more things to create the perfect toxic environment to send her mind starving for much needed oxygen. Her coughing was the only thing she could now hear as the untamable fiery beast was closing in. The pain was nothing like she had ever witness before the scorching heat spread along her skin. It was warm at first but the temperature grew. It increased in intensity until it would breach her skin turning it into charcoal. It did not stop there as fire is untamable. It would eat through skin, muscle, tendon, and bone. When he released his hold her head slumped toward the floor. The blurriness was creeping into her vision once more before everything was doused in black. It was almost as if someone had turned off the lights leaving her in pitch black. She half expected to awake to the strange limbo she had before but no. This time was much much worse.

Her vision was still clouded. The faint sound of metal upon metal was what brought her to try to move her limbs to no avail. She could see nothing, feel nothing, and say nothing. All she could hear was the horrifying scrape off to her left. Were her eyes open or closed? She had to move. She had to get away. Something was horribly wrong. She knew what that sound was but the dread that continued to fuel her caused her mind to fall apart.

 _scrape_

 _scrape_

 _scrape_

The sound was deafening almost to the point of ear bleeding. It was driving her mad. It was when she managed to pry her eyes open were her horrors truly realized. She struggled to clear the blurriness that was plaguing her vision. Her head was spinning but now she could just make it out. Toriel was over by the kitchen counter sharpening what looked to be a butcher cleaver. The kind of knife you would use to prepare a slab of meat. Something you used to carve animals. Frisk could once again feel her heart within her chest. It was beating so hard that she could hardly breathe all she heard was Toriel's voice only it was no longer the motherly one she had come to know. No this was the voice of a true monster, "I see you have woken up dear. What a shame. I hoped that you would not feel a thing."

Frisk tried to struggle but she couldn't. Her mind was in disconnect with her body. There was no escaping this death. What was Toriel going to do with her? That's when her mind jumped to one person and one person only, "FLOWEY!?" She struggled to move her head but even though she was able to do the action all she found was an empty satchel on the table. There was nothing inside but a broken pot. _No. No. Where did he go!_ Her mind was screaming for her friend. Toriel on the other hand seemed to let an insane laugh shake her frame as she set the knife she was sharpening down on the counter, "Are you speaking of that weed? Oh not to worry dear. He won't be telling you his lies any longer." A crazed grin twisted her face as her eyes widened to hold up an object. Frisk wanted to cover her mouth in horror and scream but neither action was attainable. Toriel had gripped in her massive claws the head of friend. The stem that served as his neck was slowly beginning to turn to dust. His once bright green leaves were leached as what was left of him vanished and fell to the floor. She heard a snarl from Toriel that sounded the most feral she had ever heard, "Disgusting I will have to clean this filth once I am finished with you."

The fear that swam within Frisk's eyes was insurmountable as Toriel retrieved her knife from the counter. She knew it would do no good but she continued to struggle. She felt a pressure upon her chest as her soul rose from its place. The massive paw took a hold of the fragile object placing the knife just above the blue glow. The blade barely cut into the soul before Frisk screamed. Her senses had been shocked awake as a cut appeared upon her cheek. Her soul was directly connected to her physical body and as Toriel cut into it the more cuts appeared. It was torture but that was nothing compared to what was to come. Toriel spoke once more "I'm afraid this simply won't do". Those soulless black pits that were once eyes glared down at the wounded human. That's when the real hell began.

The knife that at once cut into her very being began to saw its way into the skin of her leg. All she could hear were her own screams. The blade slowly carved into the flesh one layer at a time. As it deepened its cuts, like a sick butcher would carve up a pig, blood began to pool. It spilt onto the surface she was unable to move from. The hard surface pressed mercilessly into her spine. The blade continue to carve its way through muscle and slicing through tendons that made a sickening snap. It dug only deeper down to the bone causing the blade to make more of the sickening scraping noise from before. The pain was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Toriel was cutting her up. Her throat was raw from the screams. There was nothing she could do. This was the end. Her vision was starting to falter from the pain that she was being subjected to. Toriel held the slickened crimson blade upward as she looked down at Frisk. A demonic smile gracing her feral visage with splatters of her own blood decorating her face and robe, "Now dear it's not so bad after this we can be together forever. After all I always bake my pies with all my love."

Her eyes were wide the iris shaking in horror unable to process all that was happening. She was going to be carved up into a human pie!? Her cheeks were slick with tears as Toriel placed a hand on her head holding her close as if none of her atrocities had even occurred, "There there it will be over soon." Frisk's face was twisted in agony. She only prayed that the pain would knock her out so that she wouldn't have to feel the rest. She felt the frigid blade press against the skin of her neck. It slowly bit in slicking her neck with blood. It wasn't deep enough to kill her as her strained and sobbing voice broke through the rawness of her throat. The black within her vision was beginning to shield her from the visuals. It advanced deeper until the pain was too much to take. Everything went black. The only thing that she felt for a split second was the bite of the steel and then it was over. 

** _{STAY DETERMINED….}**_

 **O̵̡͡c̀͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ́͏̛9̄̄҉̼̲͓̳̙̥t̡̧̧h̴̢̢́͝ ҉̀͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1̀҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

 _End of Entry..._


	10. Heartbreak

**Welcome to the Underworld  
** _{Log 1: The Ruins_

 _Entry 8: Heartbreak}_

 _Finale_

A scream tore through her throat as she sat up. Her eyes immediately darted to where she had been carved down to the bone. There was no indication of such injury. She was back in the limbo she had been in before. Her jittering fingers went to her throat but as with the other wounds there was nothing there. She curled into herself and began to sob uncontrollably. She stayed there ignoring the prompt of screen to her right. Her entire body was sickly from her previous death. She could still hear the scraping of metal upon bone and the icy blade slicing through her pale skin like butter. She could smell the metallic scent that permeated the air as her blood dripped from sawed veins.

Her hand pressed into her chest still feeling the weight of not having a soul where it belonged. She had never known something to be so painful in her entire existence. The physical torment she was just put through sent her lungs starved from oxygen due to the blood curdling screams of agony. There was something far worse. The human soul was not just a theoretical construct to delineate moral teachings. No. It was much more valuable. It was a tangible object which was tied closely to the physical body. Humans thought that they were two separate entities but that could not be further from the reality. The soul was oneself and therefore any physical harm done to it would affect the body it was attached to. She remembered with a shudder the knife slick with her own blood cutting into the blue heart that Toriel had grasped within her claws.

Just like her it shook in fear as it was torn asunder, sliced, and diced. Each mark cutting deeper and deeper into her soul and skin. There were cuts that were on her cheeks and body that formed under that unbreakable connection. Flowey was right that she needed to be more careful. She would never let anyone take her soul again. If that were to come to pass she would suffer immense pain at the hand of offender. The physical action of being hacked did not hold a candle to her soul. She lifted her head to look up into the black abyss that she now considered limbo. This was were she would end up everytime she had died. Each time staring into the unforgiving nothingness all around her.

The warmth that she once had was beginning to fade as she stared down at her own still quaking hands. How could she return. How could she face another death like the one she had just been put through? The images still haunted her and pressed into her brain with relentless force. They were like demons clawing at the backsides of her eyes forcing her to see all the horror and blood spilled in that very moment. It was like a loop within her brain. One that she was unable to break as she relived the same thing again and again and again. It needed to end. She needed to pick herself back up and continue forward but fear kept her frozen in place.

There was no warmth here but the icy touch of a never ending cold that bit into her skin. All she could think of was the cold hand of death. How it had his grasp upon her and how everything felt so dull. The world that she had once seen so vivid with color and light was starting to lose its spark. The magic that it once held. The lifeless grey backdrop of life that ceaselessly continued to torment her.

 _*Get up_

A voice echoed through the lifeless place settling upon her in a commanding tone. She shook her head and buried her sorrows back into her knees where her eyes had started to form tears. It was too much. She never wanted to go through that ever again. The voice pulled at her mind, her heart, her soul. It was relentless.

 _*I said get up Frisk you have to keep going. Weren't you the one who wanted to help them? Weren't you going to be their hope?_

The voice in her head was attempting to talk some sense into her. She raised her head to barely see a figure within the distance. It was just like her dream before where the figure had saved her from burning alive. As soon as she tried to get a better look they vanished into thin air. Regardless of her aching body, it would appear that even pains persisted after death, she began to untangle herself from her stupor of sorrow. The tears that had been streaming from her eyes were wiped clean by a single solitary sweater clad arm. If she did not continue then Flowey would be lost forever. The image of her friend's severed head sent a shudder down her entire body. Her head turned in the direction of the two options floating just off to her right. Once again nothing had changed it was the exact same as before.

Her quaking legs finally managed to rise from their place on the ground and walk over to the panel. She could end this cycle just with one simple decision. The choice to continue or the choice to give up. Even back then she was never a quitter and did not find the idea very tasteful in the least. She muttered under her breath an affirmation of her newly founded DETERMINATION, "I can do this. No matter how many… no matter how many times it takes!" Her hand came down upon the panel that slowly began to fade. Instead of waiting this time she jumped into the light beginning to crack the limbo world apart. It was time to escape The Ruins.

Unlike before Frisk's eyes fluttered open to stare up at the ceiling. Her heart was beating at a steady rate and she felt no need to bolt upright like before. She did not need an explanation either. She knew what happened only this time she turned her head to see a very distraught Flowey. He had lost all his composure with tears streaming out of his eyes and his petals wilting in despair. She had almost forgotten that she was not the only one that remembered the past. He did as well only he had not watched the horrifying scene that had played out. He had died long before. She knew better than anyone what that would do to someone. She reached up to wipe the tears from his eyes, "Flowey come on don't cry. It's alright ok?" She pulled him against her and held him closely. They were both highly shaken after the prior events. She could still hear his sniffling as she pulled back to look at him "I'm sorry Flowey I thought maybe if I talked this time might be better." It was then that Frisk realized that this was not about the suffering she had endured but the collective suffering of the Underworld.

Flowey had to watch her die but he also died himself. It was more than just fear that had eaten away at the very fabric of her being. It was eating away at everyone. Toriel was afraid to be alone once more. She did not wish to be stuck within a prison of isolation with only books as her company. Flowey was afraid of her death but she would also wager he was afraid of his own even though he put up a strong front. Even she was afraid of the permanence of death. It appeared that she had escaped its grasp but for how long would she be able to dodge the reaper's blade? Flowey still had said nothing as he sniffled wiping his eyes with his leaf like hands. All she could do was give him a reassuring smile that everything was going to be alright.

This world had revolved around kill or be killed. How could you change such a law within the minds of those enamoured by it. The thoughts flowed to her until she finally came upon the one that would be the answer. She had to be different. The monsters would try to stop her and though Toriel's motives were for her own selfishness Frisk gambled that the others only wanted to leave. The second answer was that they would want to be the ones victorious at last. A kind of prideful capture, dead or alive. The thoughts scared her. How many times would she end up in that limbo before it would all come to a close? In order to continue forward she had to push those thoughts aside. Right now she had one goal and one goal only. She would escape The Ruins with Flowey by her side and she would do it without spilling so much as a drop of blood. She would show mercy to those that would intend her harm.

Her hand clenched into a fist as she picked up Flowey quickly and grabbed their companions hiding space once again. After outfitting the satchel with all the necessary ingredients for theoretical success she made her way to the door and flung it open. There was something within her that suddenly began to spread throughout her entire body. She had a mission and a purpose. This was going to be the last time that she would be carved on a table or burned alive by the flames of grief driven rage and madness. This was her moment. This was her time to escape.

As she headed down the hallway she began to search her mind for all the missteps that she had unfortunately come across the first time she attempted to leave. The first one was not being prepared with items that would aid in her survival. That was one checkmark off her list. She even included the odd spider webbed decorated donut that she had purchased before her entry into Toriel's home. Flowey was the next misstep. She had left him the first time because she had wanted to scope out a possible route of departure. She blinked for a moment and shook her head. No, that was not right Flowey was with her that time as well. _Stars this was going to get confusing_. The third and potentially fatal error from before was the creaky floorboard she had accidently stepped on as she made her way over to the staircase. If they had not alerted Toriel then perhaps they may have had a chance. As it stood there was a clear plan forming within her mind.

This was not going to be easy. Everything had to go perfectly in order for her and Flowey to make it through this. Step one, distraction. As Frisk whispered to Flowey about her plan as quietly as possible she had begun to make her way into the foyer. The golden flower gave a look of skepticism but shook his head as if to signify he would go along with it anyway. At this point what did they have to lose other than their seemingly infinite lives. The bookcase that she remembered earlier would be a seemingly advantageous area to place her satchel. She would have to be able to have it on hand at a moments notice so the closer to staircase the better. She could have kept it with her when she went to go talk with Toriel for a second time but the satchel had immediately triggered the thought of abandonment within the goat demon that lead to her demise the last two times. It was not a good idea to have such an item visible. Stashing the satchel was easy. She made sure that Flowey was safe and comfortable before proceeding into the living room. She thought her feet might betray her as images of Toriel's face spattered with her own life blood flashed before her.

Her palms had begun to sweat but she must persevere. She ripped the image from her mind and walked into the room with a smile on her face. As before Toriel sat with book in hand and her spectacles daintily perched on her nose. She made no move to get up either. It was almost like watching a movie or playing a game that you had seen a million times. The only difference was you were the anomaly. The one thing that could change the course of the story. The one person that could break the cycle. This time she decided not to sit as she set her plan in motion. Her look of distress was plastered on her face as her eyes darted in order to appear terrified. If this worked then step one would be a success, "M...mom… I….I saw something going down into the basement… it… it scared me." She hoped she was not being too much of a ham with her stuttering but true to form that is exactly what she did when she was afraid of something.

Toriel's expression changed from a warm one to a concerned one. A monster must have snuck in and tried to hurt her child. She was not going to let that happen again. She stood to her full height after setting her book and glasses down on the nearby dining table. Her voice was stern but also calm, "You stay here my child. I will make sure they don't hurt you." Frisk only nodded shakily adding some convulsing knees in the process. Toriel had taken the bait, "O...ok….m...mom…" Frisk noticed that every time she called the goat, mom, a light danced in her eyes. It made her so happy to hear such words. So far so good. Toriel left the room soon afterward which gave Frisk a small amount of time before she returned. There was a reason that she had explored the entirety of the house the first time. It was her way of making clever observations for puzzle solving later. In this case she distinctly remembered a somewhat worn frying pan that hung just in the kitchen. _The kitchen..._

The very area that her life had ended. Her legs carried her to the doorway only to have them freeze in place. Frisk internally swore. Her legs were frozen solid unable to be moved. The fear that she had experienced was keeping them glued in place. She did not want to go in there. Her heart was the only thing that she could hear. Her eyes screwed shut as her moist hands tried to unclench themselves. She had been carved up like some kind of animal in this place. She was returning to a butcher shop. Her abject horror was causing her body to not respond to simple commands. _Walk. Move. Go._ There was no clock in her immediate vicinity but she could hear the incessant ticking in her mind. _Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._ Over and over again. It was maddening. She was running out of time. She opened her eyes and broke free shattering the ice within her veins that had kept her in place. She only had a little time left as she ran into the kitchen. Her eyes darted and scanned for the object of interest only to see it dead center.

Her hands reached through the time bubble that she felt she was now surrounded by. As she grabbed hold of the frying pan the bubble burst. The flow of time began to move forward as she handled the cast iron that scrapped roughly against her fingers. Her grip on the handle tightened as she quickly made her way out of both rooms and directly into the foyer. It would seem that Toriel had yet to ascend the staircase but that would only last for a moment. She quickened her pace and unclipped the satchel only to stash the item inside making sure not to squish anything especially Flowey. He looked impressed for her courage before they heard someone beginning to climb the steps. She closed and stashed the bag hastily. She was already sprinting back into the living room by the time Toriel had made it up the second to last flight of stairs. She had done it. Step two was complete.

Her lungs burned for all but a moment as she sat down on one of the dining room chairs to catch her breath. Toriel's footsteps could be heard just outside the frame of the door as Frisk calmed her racing heart. If she was not able to pull it off then Toriel would begin to become suspicious and that would shatter her and her companions hopes for escape. Toriel's entrance into the living room set Frisk on edge as the goat placed a hand on her head. She remembered that hand. It was the same hand that had held her close before she felt the knife slick with her own blood slide against the soft skin of her throat. She had to repress the shudder that was trying to force its way out of her, "Oh dear. You seem so shaken. Not to worry I took care of the intruder. They will not be bothering us anymore."

Frisk only nodded. She was afraid that anything else she might say would come off as odd. There actually was an intruder? Oh she felt bad for the poor creature that Toriel had found in the wake of her and Flowey's plan of escape. Toriel meanwhile was looking the child over. She noticed that their cheeks were pink and their heart was fluttering. They must have been quite scared for their body to elicit such a reaction. How dare that intruder for scaring her precious child. All she could think to do was to run her fingers through their hair trying to calm them. The soothing presence of their mother was all that they needed, "Hush. Everything is alright."

Held within Toriel's arms Frisk almost felt like a doll. It was still a loving gesture that the goat mother was trying to do but it almost felt mechanical. It was almost as if she had done this so many times that warmth and tenderness that was usually associated with such a comforting action was lost. She was but an object. An object that Toriel never wanted to lose. She wondered in the back of her mind if the other children received the same treatment or if this was just the effect of so much heartbreak. One too many times and despair corrupted even that of a mother's love. How tragic. Frisk did not have time to ponder all the questions that she had swimming in the back of her skull. It was time for the next step.

Toriel had continued to rub Frisk's head humming softly as she did. Their heart rate seemed to quiet after some time but she was still worried that the human was shaken by the events that had just transpired. It would be best if she laid down to calm her nerves further, "My dear why don't you lay down until your fears subside? I am more than happy to make some milk and cookies for you as a sweet treat." No one could resist her butterscotch cookies. They were easy to make and all you really needed to make them special was a mother's love.

The idea of eating any baked goods sounded tempting though the offer might work in her favor if she played it right, "That sounds delicious mom I would love that." Frisk smiled gently when Toriel finally released her hold on her. Thank goodness because she was unable to hold back the hairs that were starting to stick up on the back of her neck. Every thought circled back to how motherly Toriel truly was and how psychotic she could become at the drop of a hat. It was a frightening but also confusing duality. As she watched Toriel head into the kitchen she slowly slid off the chair she had been sitting on attempting to be as quiet as a mouse as she creeped into the foyer.

The satchel that she had hidden away rustled pushing the leather flap up and off. A small flash of gold came to greet her. She was happy to see Flowey once again but this was no time for a long and heartfelt reunion, "She is making cookies I think that will keep her distracted for a little bit." _It would take a long time for them to bake right? I mean you had to grab the ingredients, mix them together, and bake everything. That was not a few minutes worth of work._ As she continued to think about the intricacies of time within baking Flowey patted her cheek frantically with one of his leaves. The look on his face was filled to the brim with utter anxiety. He looked like he might have a heart attack if he even could. His voice was nearly a whispering hiss in her ear, "Frisk she can use magic that cuts the time in a whole bunch of different ways." Frisk looked mildly dumbfounded... _Oh.. right..._

Well no time like the present. She scooped up her friend in a rush and headed for the staircase. This time she was not going to be tripped up by that squeaky floorboard. She glared at the offending wooden plank and quietly descended the staircase. The audible gulp that came involuntarily from her throat lightly resonated off the walls of the basement hallway. She had been here before. Another gulp. The torches flickered back and forth as if they were following her down the dark hallway. It felt as if she were back in the deepest parts of The Ruins. All the warmth of the home above descended into terrifying darkness. Her fingers wrapped around the leather strapping of her satchel indenting the material with an imprint of her fingers. She was gripping it tightly to her chest as she walked. There had to be an end to this place. There just had to be. Her eyes widened in horror. What if this was all a trap? What if there was something terrible lurking within the darkness to tear her to shreds. A creature that would sink its claws into her and collect her blood like a sauce for one of Toriel's sweets?! Her heart was starting to race now as dark thoughts began to form as they walked. She felt like a small scared little girl. The halls felt like monsters themselves, looking over her, their cracked mouth like walls laughing at the companions plight.

Her mouth was starting to feel dry. It was an unnatural dryness the kind that could not be quenched by drink. It was the kind of reaction when one loses all sense of logical compass. The kind of reaction that brings others to their knees in horror and trepidation. All she could hear was a soft dripping noise presumably coming from the upper floors. She closed her eyes as she continued walking trying desperately not to envision some sort of horrifying slaughterhouse hanging above her head with blood dripping from the ceiling and onto the ground below. Step by step she made her way deeper down the corridor when finally her eyes snapped open. There was light. There was light at the end. Her eyes nearly filled with tears as she began to pick up the pace. Freedom was just within her grasp as she burst from the dark corridor into the light.

It was a room like all the others she had seen along her journey through the ruins of the old monster metropolis but it would appear there was yet another corridor beyond. She was so close. She could feel it within her soul as she continued forward. Each step caused her heart to jump until.

"Dear… where are you going?"

Frisk felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her as she slowly turned on her heel to face Toriel. She stood within the shadows her amber eyes a flame as she had seen them before. Her tone was calm and collected but Frisk knew better. This was to be the third time that she had witnessed this side to Toriel. The side bereft of hope. The side swimming in a pit of despair only to be shattered beyond repair. She was unable to speak as she took a step backward. Toriel continued to envelop herself within the shadows before a blazing flame ignited within one of her hands. Frisk prepared for the impact that the fireball would be inevitably aiming for but it never came. Instead she heard a soft weeping sound. As she stepped into the light her fur was glistening with tears, "Why… why do you always leave. I just want to protect you."

Another choked sob rang through the in between, the space between freedom and captivity. Toriel's eyes were still visible for the time being that was a good sign. She could still try and speak with her as much as she could but she was also ready to defend herself. Flowey was hiding within her satchel as to not enrage Toriel further.

Another of her hands raised to ignite a smoldering magical wildfire within her opposing paw. There was no doubt in Frisk's mind that Toriel was going to try and put an end to her but she was not going down without defending herself. She pulled the beat up frying pan from her bag and held it in front of her. The old black cast iron reflected the flickering of flames that seemed to embody this mid way room. The handle felt cool against her clenched hands as she took steady breaths, "I need to go. I need to keep going."

Toriel shifted her stance to step a little bit closer only to see the human drawback. There was no fear in her blue eyes but a confidence and a DETERMINATION that she had only seen once before. Her eyes were not on fire but within her soul a flame was being fed. It had been nothing but a smolder but now it was being coaxed into a brilliant flame, "Every human that falls down here meets the same fate. Everyone of them die. I will not let _them_ take you from me! NEVER AGAIN" Her teeth were now gritted as the tears continued to flow. Her heart could not take it. The child would die just as the rest of them had. That was a humans inevitable end in the Underworld.

The walls began to darken becoming pitch black. Everything around her seemed to begin to lose color. It was being drained leaving only a monochrome world. She had witnessed this before. Toriel was going to fight her. Her soul emerged from her chest as her grip on her newly acquired frying pan tightened even further. This was the only way that she was going to escape.

Toriel blocks the way

It was quick but Frisk was ready. She had no prior combat experience but her heightened senses would come in handy. The torches that lined the walls suddenly burst into columns of fire that twisted and rose to the top of the ceiling. As if in a square oven the flames began to fall leaving Frisk to skirt to the side to avoid some raining fireballs. The entire ceiling was ablaze with the white flames as fireballs continued to pummel her from above. In an effort to dodge yet another falling flame Frisk smashed the fire magic with her frying pan only to send it flying to the opposite side of the room and vanishing. She was starting to sweat as she dodged one after the other. It was like defending in an oven and the temperature only seemed to increase.

All I want is to protect you! You are too weak to go out there! They will kill you! Do you not understand!?"

Frisk was panting now with her energy waing. Then the onslaught of hellish rain suddenly stopped. This time the projectiles were by hand. The fires that crackled and burned within her paws flew toward her at an incredible speed. The first set she was able to dodge by tucking her head in and rolling once to stand on her feet once again. The second set was much more difficult. Toriel was throwing the magic projectiles in an unbridled rage complete with bone chilling tears of anguish. She jumped over one of the projectiles that were aimed at her legs only to have one catch her shoulder. The flame lingered for a moment before dissipating but the skin burned. A blistering heat that radiated outward with just one measly hit. The soul in front of her shook as if responding to the damage. The wound was far from being painless as the newly exposed flesh began to bleed. The blood made a morbid line down her shoulder and arm all the way to the fingertips causing it to drip onto the floor below. All she could do was hold the hurting appendage as best as she could. Her teeth were gritted together as if to nullify a pain that she unfortunately was beginning to become familiar with.

Toriel ceased her attacks for the time being as she lowered her head in anguish. She was still crying staining the white fur of her cheeks a light crimson. Her child was much stronger than she thought but it was not enough. She was not going to be a pathetic failure. She was not going to be known as the mother that could not save a single child. She had lowered his hands to her sides as her claws dug into the pads of her paws. Her head was lowered in shame as she lifted them once again. Her clenched fist opened to summon another flame. Her head rose to look at Frisk. The pain was much too great.

Don't you see lost one? They…. ASGORE will kill you… All I want…. Is to give you a painless END...

All Frisk could do to respond against the dryness in her throat was take a deep breath. The pain had started to subside as Toriel spoke.

Then you will perish like the rest. Stand up to me and fight if you truly wish to leave!

That was something that Frisk would not do, "I will not give up and I won't hurt anyone either!" She would spare each and every one of them. No matter what they did to her. No matter how many times she begged for it all to end. She would not fall into this world of kill or be killed. She was going to show mercy. These ideas began to fill her soul causing it to glow an even more brilliant blue. Flowey could not take it anymore. Frisk was fighting all by herself as he hid like a coward within the confines of her bag. No more. Toriel was already furious and he needed to support his human companion. He popped his golden head out of the bag on Frisk's side and gasped at the damage that Toriel had inflicted on her. To Frisk, after everything, it was just a scratch.

Frisk had barely felt Flowey rustle around in her pack when he made his appearance. She had been so focused on Toriel that she had nearly forgotten about him hiding away. She barely was able to utter one syllable before she heard a shriek that would make even a banshee scream. Toriel had lost it. Why did she loathe Flowey so much she did not understand but she was not going to pause and ask either. The entire room began to swirl with fire. The ceilings and walls were crawling with menacing flames. Their fiery tendrils quickly making their way toward her. She was able to maneuver out of the way when the vertical fiery columns of death shot into the walls beside her. Another wailing scream could be heard through the flames. All Frisk could see of Toriel now were those black soulless eyes that glowed bright yellow in their middle. She did not even seem to have a shape now. All there was to see was fire. It was as if she was in the very pit of hell. There were not many more places now that she could dodge and she was slowly being cornered into the opposing corridor. The only things that were in the room were the white doric columns that stood as supports for the basement. At least that is what she had observed. They could have been decorativ-

Her train of thought was cut short as Flowey screamed at the top of his lungs. Coming at them at breakneck speed was a wall of fire projectiles. There was only seconds to react. If she went to the left she would be hit. If she jumped as she did before she would be hit. What was she going to do. She used the last ounce of strength that she could muster to leap herself to the side of the room. The projectile hit one of the columns with a force that caused the entire support to explode and rain shrapnel down upon their heads. The other projectiles just grazed her right leg just after jumping as she collapsed to the ground falling upon her injured arm. The force of the impact with the ground caused a choked scream to rip from her voice. She lay there quaking and shuddering, burn marks branding her body.

The entire ground began to rumble and shake. A splitting sound echoed around them as she lifted her head. Her eyes were filled with tears of agony but the quaking increased. Her eyes met with a surprise attack from dust as the ceiling began to split and crack. It was like being within an earthquake. Her heart was pounding but steadily. The adrenaline of her last ditch effort to survive had given her a new found energy but it's time limit was short. She raised to her feet only to stumble into the side of wall as the ceiling above began to cave in. All she heard was Flowey's screams of, "RUN! FRISK RUN!" The entire corridor that they were in was collapsing due to Torials uncontrollable destructive anger. Another crack as debris began to rain down. She mustered up all the limited adrenaline rush she had and snatched Flowey sprinting down the corridor. A massive section of the corridor caved in just behind her sending the two flying forward in a cloud of dust and debris. Frisk hit the ground hard once more, this time on her stomach. Her injuries were not horrible but they were not good either. She had lacerations and scrapes everywhere specifically all her more exposed extremities. Her face was down upon the ground as she used her elbows to move to an upright position. The entire area was thick with dust as she choked only to cough the offending particles from her lungs.

The sound of gravel and rocks reached hear ears as she attempted to move her non injured leg to look behind her. The hallway which she had sprinted from was completely blocked by rocks and other building materials. There was no way that Toriel could reach her now. There was no going back. Her eyes screwed shut as she raised to a sitting position. She could hear Flowey coughing as she did so biting back the pain her body had sustained. She could feel the grime on her face as she took her sleeve and slowly wiped the clumps of dust off her face. When she opened her eyes her heart had begun to slow in pace.

They were in another room. This one was reminiscent of the one that she had begun her journey. There were no switches or levers only a giant arching purple door. It's size was uncomparable by human standards. Frisk looked down at her body only to realize that once again her vision was back to normal and her soul was where it belonged. They had done it. They were alive and they had escaped. She wanted to raise her arms in victory but the thought was too much. She slid over to Flowey to check the status of his own body. He looked fine except a scratch here and there. Her voice was small and breathless but at least she could speak, "W...we did it Flowey. We… are free."

Like Frisk Flowey had his fair share of scrapes and scratches to his fragile plant like body but at least he was not as worse for wear like his human friend. He looked up at her smiling face. How could she continue to smile after all the pain that she had been subjected to? All he could do was give a small sad smile of his own, "Yeah. I guess we did huh? You know… you're pretty tough kid."

Finally the pair were out of the frying pan. Flowey protested when Frisk rose to stand. She was severely injured. Eventually he was able to force her to eat a quarter of the strange spider themed donut she had purchased before. It immediately healed her wounds giving him a sense of reassurance. She may have looked fragile but that clearly was not true. She had demonstrated that she could hold her own even in the hottest of situations. He found himself once again by her side using her bag as a kind of hammock. They both turned their attention upon the door. The door to their freedom. The door that would lead the pair deeper into the Underworld.

Frisk stood in front of the massive purple double doors and looked upward. This was the moment they had both been striving for. Her hand pressed against the metal rune that served as a decoration upon the door. It was near identical to the one before. Quickly she pulled her hand back at the freezing cold that attacked her already healing hands. Why was it so cold? Instead she decided to place her hand on the wood as not be attacked by the icy touch of metal once again. Her hand was shaking but why. She swallowed the lump in her throat and began to push on the door which groaned in protest. The metal hinges started to wail as she braced her body against it. It was more difficult to open then she had thought.

She leaned against it for a moment before attempting again only this time she rammed her shoulder with as much force as she could and pushed as hard as possible. Again the door squealed its protests but she was not going to give up, not now and not after everything. Her heels dug into the earth as she pushed harder with more force. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she continued to create tracks of unearthed rock at her feet. The door finally gave way sending the two careening forward through the archway only to catch themselves mid fall. What she was met with with a bone chilling ice cold wind that hit her face. She stood in the wake of the door to The Ruins only to hear it slam behind her. She had made it out of the fire, Toriel, and the horrifying atrocities she was subjected to. This was her goal. She needed to escape and be on the other side. The other side of the door…

 _Careful what you wish for_

 **O̵̡͡c̀͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ́͏̛9̄̄҉̼̲͓̳̙̥t̡̧̧h̴̢̢́͝ ҉̀͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1̀҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

 _End of LOG..._


	11. Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Freezer

Summary: Frisk and Flowey have finally escaped the hellfire of The Ruins. What lay beyond the door that they had so desperately attempted to push open. Were Toriel's warnings just those of an overprotective nature or an undeniable and horrifying truth? {DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains graphic imagery and strong dark themes such as death, maiming, gore, sexual advances, and murder. It's really not that bad comparatively but I like to be thorough. Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

 **Welcome to the Underworld  
** _{Log 2: Snowdin_

 _Entry 1: Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Freezer}_

There is a moment in every life where one bursts through adversity to grab hold of a light that shines in their path. They run with all their might to reach that light, grasp it, and never let it go. A promise of a better present and a better future. This is what one might expect as Frisk and her golden companion pried the doors open to stand on the opposite side of the door. It had been the final goal. The precipice on which she could take a step back. She was promised that something better lay behind that door. Another world. A world far away from that which she had been raised or rather kept captive. This door was a symbol to her. A symbol of new beginnings. A symbol of hope. The world beyond was a mystery to her and even perhaps to her flower friend that she had bonded with. They were inseparable. A team. What were her expectations as her boots took the first step into this unknown world? A world entirely filled with… _monsters._

All she could do was stand still in time as if frozen by the very cold that enveloped her body. Her sweater gave her enough upper body protection but the frozen wind of their new environment was sinking their icy fangs deep into her exposed legs. Their chilling venom began to travel upward causing her entire slender frame to quiver and shudder. She had not been prepared for such a drastic change in location. Her cheeks were already chilled with flush and her breath swirled around her with every shuddering breath. She had to move otherwise she would die once again but this time instead of the pits of hell she would freeze in the depths of Niflheim. She had gone from the frying pan and into the freezer. Her eyes scanned the area only coming to the conclusion that they were within a snowy forest. She hoped that Flowey was safe in her satchel as he had before. It was leather after all and from what she had read about survival animal hides were a good natural insulator from the cold, "F…..F….Flowey we….we did it we are here!"

The cold should have affected the flower monster more than what it currently was. His eyes looked up worriedly at a stuttering Frisk. She was shuddering and her entire body was shaking to the point that her teeth had begun to chatter. He paid the cold no mind it would seem, "Yeah, Frisk we did, but it's all thanks to you. You stubborn idiot. We should find you somewhere to bundle up. You look like you're going to shatter into a million little pieces. We can't have that right?" Flowey would not mention that he was happy with the fact that they were no longer within the reach of Toriel's killer paws but another threat loomed. If he was honest with himself. This was just the beginning.

Frisk was ecstatic to see that her friend was alright. She half expected to find him half frozen within her pack but that was not the case. He was perfectly fine in her eyes, not a single scratch. It was time to examine her surroundings as she had done before. Her powers of observation seemed to come in handy in the past. She turned on her heel making a small divot in the snow at her feet. The exit to The Ruins was but a simple archway framed in columns of the Doric style and topped with a monolith. To her, it resembled that of a cloud. A kind of cloud that one of a young age would draw in representation. It had two small arcs flanking a larger center arc in the middle. There were strange symbols and writing along its cracked face that, once again, she was unable to decipher. The rune stood out almost as if it stared her down. The same rune that had appeared in countless imagery within the once great monster capital. Now, as the name suggested, it stood in only ruins only acting as a gateway to the world beyond. The symbol seemed to mock her as it loomed overhead just out of her reach. Just nestled beneath it was the portico of their escape. The same deep purple door that had bared their freedom. Her hand came to rest on its surface only to try with all her might to open it once again. It was of no use. The path of the past was locked. It was not as if she wished to return to the place but something possessed her to attempt the action.

Another turn of her heel and she spotted a series of bushes. Their green leaves shone dully under their imprisonment of snow and suffocated under the weight. It must snow in this place frequently as there were no tracks or pathways. It was a blanket of white as far as one could see and what lay next to it on either side was a forest. It was a green forest with the scent of pine wafting through their frost dusted tops. The kind where nothing appeared out of place it was however bleak, desolate, and morose in places. It looked like parts of it had been chopped or torn down. The only thing that she could piece together was that it must have been used for building materials. The dead branches made eerie scraping, cracking, and creaking noises as the wind blew through their mangled branches. This place was quiet too quiet for Frisk's liking. At once it felt as though the commotion would never cease but now they were in a place that embraced the stillness. The stagnation of sight, of sound, of feeling, was prevalent in this place. She decided that over analyzing the situation would only bring forth more doubt. That was a feeling she could not afford.

Frisk's feet took her slowly through the forest only to stare up at the sky? She was underground there was no logical explanation that would justify that the thing she was looking up at was the sky. In reality, it was but the inside of the mountain. A rather dull substitute but at least she did not feel as trapped as she once had. Her effort of looking up at the seemingly infinite treetops that encompassed her every tread began to give her a feeling of vertigo. The circle of trees had begun to spin causing her to close her eyes tightly and try to will the feeling to cease. It was like she was looking at a pinwheel that just continued to spin lazily in a circle of infinite loops. Her hand came to rest upon a nearby tree. The bark was cold against her already numbing hands but she needed it for support. Her freezing body pressed against the side of the trunk as she steadied herself. The cold was starting to eat away at her lungs causing a cool burn. She would have to become accustomed to this cold if she desired to stay alive. They had both been through so much. She was not going to let all that sacrifice be in vain.

The polar venom was starting to break down her blood. It had begun to coagulate and freeze over into ice. The more she stayed in one place the colder she would become. Her freezing body had to pry itself from the tree in which she had taken a short repose. She was unsure how much further her legs would be able to carry her in this condition until she came upon a light. A brilliant glow that warmed the outcropping of trees surrounding her. Where its light touched seemed to thaw the harsh bleak wintry landscape of this place. She knew what was before her. It was the star. The very same star that had saved her from repeating from the very beginning. She coveted its magical warmth more than anything. It would flow through her and give her the ability necessary to continue forward. She just knew it. The freezing venom within her body was making it closer to her heart with every beat. It would not be long now before it reached her very soul, freezing her solid and causing her a slow, painful, and bone-chilling end.

Her steps were heavy as she reached for the blaze of magic before her, step after, step by step. Each one gave way to more weight upon her already exhausted and numb limbs. It happened all at once. Just as she reached for the magnificent glow she found herself collapsing into the snow. Her body had given up on her but she was not going to let that control her. She hoisted herself shakily to her elbows. Her face was contorted in pain and resolve. Her hand stretched forward as darkness began to cloud her peripherals. That was the sign of her death. The dark void that she had come to know every time her heart stopped. Frisk's fingertips quivered as they stretched outward one last time before her vision went out. All was lost. She had failed.

She could see nothing and yet she still heard the creaking of branches and blow of the wind. She had not died yet. Her fingertips began to warm only to begin to spread down her hand. She was once again able to move her fingers if only just a minimal amount. The warmth began to spread further replacing the once frosty venom of cold with a blazing heat. It reached her heart only to shoot through her veins causing her body to react in kind. She was no longer freezing cold but fully restored as the black curtain that once obstructed her view of the world faded. She had made it. Just by the touch of one small finger, she had reached the star. She was sure that death had been upon her. Its glacial hand had hovered over her just in those last minutes of life.

** _{SAVE}**_

Now revitalized she stood to her feet without fail. A warmth inside of her was keeping her from feeling the freezing effects from before. Her attention returned to the clearing that she was in. She was unsure how far she had traveled through the forest in order to end up in such a place but her footprints from before had not yet begun to fade. It was wise to return to the exit of The Ruins. There must have been a path somewhere if not clearly marked then by some visual observation she would be able to determine the correct course. Flowey was still silent in her satchel unlike her who received a supernatural magical protection he was left to his own devices. He was not frozen, however, his chattering could be heard from the open flap. In her best judgment, she decided to close it to insulate the bag enough for him to be able to warm himself.

All she heard were her crunching boots in the surrounding snow as she walked. It was such a contrast from the hellfire that she had been subjected to just beyond the exit to The Ruins. After a while, the landscape appeared to morph leading her to the door that she had entered from. She could still hear the feral unholy screams of Toriel ringing in her thawing subconscious. The very thought shook her small frame with an uncontrollable shudder of dread. A gust of wind blew her hair into her face causing her to stop and fix the loose strands to clear her vision. That's when the snap of a twig alerted her only to have her spin around abruptly. There was nothing there. The cold that she had been protected from beforehand seemed to slowly begin to affect her again as she took a step back. It must have just been the wind. She scanned the area one final time before continuing back to her starting position. She could not help the feeling that eyes were on her as she leaned against the mauve door of her escape. There was no going back. She either would starve and freeze in this very spot or she would muster up the courage to continue her journey. Toriel had been concerned that the monsters on the other side would harm her… no… obliterate her. In her eyes, she never saw a soul only the trees that lined every inch of this gloomy snowy forest.

Her observations eventually bore fruit unlike the time prior. She had been so preoccupied with nearly freezing to death that she had not noticed the discrepancies within her direct line of sight. There appeared to not be a definitive pathway leading away from The Ruins. At least what one would consider a pathway. It was not paved as one might expect but rather marked in a more natural way. There were trees on either side of her new foothold indicating that there used to be a clear path just below her feet as such detective Frisk was on the case. She used her boot as a tool to clear some of the snow in front of her only to see a blue-grey path leading onwards. _Eureka!_ Her eyes flicked to the right for a moment thinking that she saw something move but as usual there was nothing to give her that visual. Did the monsters also have wildlife here? If so that might have been the noise that she had heard earlier. Her feet took her along the snowy pathway for a while. It could have just been her imagination but she swore this path was taking too long to end. She attributed it to the infinite trees that flanked either side of her as she continued her trek.

Flowey, meanwhile, had himself curled inside of a nice warm leather satchel. His monster advantages protected him from the harsh winter that lay just outside. He, however, had been distracted by his own thoughts to realize what had transpired outside. He finally decided to show himself as he pushed the flap away with leafy hands. The closure gave way only for him to be blasted by a gust of icy wind. Frisk seemed to be doing just fine from where he was standing. She had that determined look on her youthful face though he knew better. They were outside of The Ruins and though that should have been a victory he feared it would not last. Toriel had been right about one thing. The monsters that inhabited the Underworld were brutal and sometimes even sadistically so. He noticed the light flush on her cheeks as she trudged forward. The forest around them seemed never-ending. He decided that it would be best if he stayed silent in order not to break her concentration.

Frisk's eyes were pointed directly ahead. She wanted to get to somewhere warm as fears of freezing to death swam through her mind. Her pace had been spritely up until she saw a strange piece of architecture barring the rest of the path from view. A feeling overcame her. One that she had felt back by the exit. The feeling of eyes on her. The feeling that someone or something was watching her intently but refused to show itself. Her once brisk pace began to slow as the feeling only increased. Her eyes flicked from right to left feeling more and more like she was being stalked with each passing minute. Each step caused her mind to wander into some unknown and terrifying territory.

Frisk's footsteps ceased but from behind her, she heard the distinct and familiar crunch of snow. After a few moments of her pause, the sound also stopped. Her throat was now starting to feel as though she was having difficulty breathing. If she spun around what would she see? Her eyes darted to her peripheral vision trying to figure out if such a thing was just her imagination or an actual threat. She took a step forward and continued to walk. Her breath danced around her like smoke as she breathed clutching the satchel strap to her chest. The warm leather had begun to conform to the shape of her fingers from so much nervous energy. She was glad that Flowey, who had yet to show himself again, had stayed within the bag. There was no telling what the following events would bring.

After some time walking along she had finally made it to the strange structure she had seen from quite a distance before. Just above a perilous snowy pit stood a wooden gate. It stood high above her blocking her only path. It was carved out of wood and had pylons on each side made of a dark wood. It was most likely made of the same wood that surrounded her currently. There was no end to the supply of building materials that it could be repurposed in such a way. The gate was a set of consecutive wooden beams each one with approximately two to three inches in between them from where she stood there was no logical way to get past the obstacle. They spanned the chasm only adding to their unwelcoming design. Her hand came to rest on one of the beams only for it to wiggle a small amount. If she could wiggle it just enough she might be able to slip through. She was just about to add some more force before a familiar bone-chilling sound came from behind her.

Her heart was pumping nearly drowning out the noise. She stayed still not moving a single muscle as the sound only grew louder. Every part of her being was screaming at her to run but with this strange gate like trap in her way, there was nowhere to run. Her shift in weight caused the bridge underneath her feet to let out a creaking noise. There was no telling what was going to unfold in these seconds. All she knew is that she was quite literally frozen with fear. Her lungs had begun to burn and she could have sworn that she could smell the faint hint of smoke and something else she could not place. Her once firm hand on the wooden pylon began to shake as she removed it slowly. It was clear that the one following her was just behind her as the footsteps came to a stop.

The monster halted his steps toward the unsuspecting human every time that they stopped. It might have been that they were not as unsuspecting as he initially was lead to believe. They did after all make it out of The Ruins in one piece. He stood just behind her with his mouth pulled into a grin. What was going to be their reaction he wondered, "Don't ya know it's rude to not greet a new pal... human? Turn around and shake my hand." His voice was lower than usual only adding to the deep baritone of his normal voice and the hint of a growl that accompanied it. As usual, it was dashed with a hint of amusement.

Flowey heard the voice from within the comfort of the leather satchel he was currently taking residence in though he could not view the speaker the voice was enough for him to be worried. This would be Frisk's first encounter with a monster other than Toriel. The froggit did not count since it barely would have put up any kind of defense anyway. That's how the majority of the monsters within The Ruins were. They had been shoved out for fear of death if they stepped foot beyond those double doors. The majority of them would be dusted immediately for some menial LV gain. In concern, Flowey pushed his golden head up a small amount in order to get a look at who Frisk had encountered. He only prayed it wasn't-

Frisk's eyes were wide as she heard the voice that was right behind her. It sounded none too friendly in any sense of the word. It was gruff, deep, and most of all feral. A flash of Toriel burst behind her now closed eyelids but she was not dead yet. Her feet reluctantly shifted so that she was able to turn. Every possible horrifying thought flew through her mind before he eyes landed on her assumed to be stalker. Her eyes were wide at what they had landed upon. What stood before was the very embodiment of death itself, a skeleton. Not just a human looking skeleton either. Its face was pulled up in a sharky amused grin. A gold tooth glinted in what little light the dismal forest provided. He was a little taller than her by approximately a few inches and though his stature did not intimidate her his eyes did. What looked upon her were dots of lights that were housed within the deepest recesses of his onyx eye sockets, eye lights if you will.

The harsh weather of the area could only be combated with warm and thick clothing. He wore a black leather jacket very similar to a bomber jacket. A large fluffy cream colored hood encompassed his face and shoulders and golden zipper teeth that lined either side shone through the black with a sinister metallic shine. His collar was intricate with a giant lapel that sat just over the fur trim with two buckles on either side. On the ends of the tips of the lapel were golden spike rivets one for each side. His collar from what she could tell was also divided into two separate colors the top was a deep grey while the bottom was black. The skeleton had around his neck an auburn collar with the same golden spike treatment that she had seen before. Instead of a tag, there was a golden chain link that swayed back and forth. Well one of them did the last one was incomplete and broken on the bottom. It was scorched as if it had been burned and the golden gave way to soot-stained deteriorated metal. She had to question why anyone in their right mind would wear a collar around their neck. It was an unnerving accessory choice.

On the skeleton's left arm was an intricately embroidered patch but she was unable to determine what it was. It looked as if it was some kind of skull in crossbones but it was unlike any skull that she had ever seen before. The golden and red decoration wrapped around the entire forearm of his sleeve. The simple motion of moving his arm showed off the red knit that lined the underpart of his jacket sleeves. The stitching along the upper part of his sleeves was gold in which she noticed that he had a dark grey elbow patch on either side of each sleeve. Even his pockets, though a contrasting dark grey had golden rivets. He sure seemed to like gold, didn't he? There were two pull strings hanging haphazardly from the front of the jacket occasionally shifting due to the light breeze. They were cream in color and twisted downward to end in two red beads that kept the string bound only to splay outward at the bottom in threaded fluff.

The black leather gave way to a yellow knit trim, one you might find on a sweater that lined the hem. The cuffs too had the same treatment to them. Beneath it, all was a crimson turtleneck sweater, fittingly enough very similar to the one she was wearing currently. His shorts were black keeping with the already limited color palette with double stripes of gold down each side. It reminded her of something you might find as a pinstripe on a racecar for some reason. His legs were exposed if you could even call them that considering it was just bones.

The only thing that he wore left was a pair of hiking style boots. They were grey, auburn, and black and had red laces that matched his turtleneck sweater. The tops of them were lined with a fluffy black fur that contrasted the rest of his boots. The grommets embedded in the soft material were a golden color just as everything else was along with the piping and stitching details. The toe of the boot was cream in color and the sides of his treads though black in hue had golden triangles along the side. The marking almost looked like teeth. After all her observations were finished she looked downward. Its boney hand was outstretched to her covered in black fingerless gloves with gold spike rivets on each knuckle. The hilarious detail that she found though was the fact that the tops of his gloves had white markings on them that represented that of a skeletal hand bringing to mind his earlier bone-chilling comment to shake his hand.

She did not know what she should do in this situation. The way he spoke, even the way that he dressed called to mind some hostile things but she shouldn't use first looks as a basis for action should she? Toriel had looked sweet with a few notable discrepancies here and there but she turned out to be psychotic. It was already starting to look as if she was a poor judge of character. She should not be terrified of someone she doesn't even know and yet there was something about him that made her uncomfortable. It might have been that jagged grin or maybe the way his eye lights seemed to glow in a sadistic amusement. He was right she had to admit that not returning his greeting would be rather rude of her. She was sure her hesitancy was not lost on the skeleton in front of her.

The satchel that she had gripped so tightly before barely released when she let go. The tanned animal hide stuck to her hands now filled with nervous energy. The indentations of her vice-like grip were embedded within the strapping as she lifted a dainty porcelain hand. It was just a handshake, right? A simple gesture of goodwill, greeting, and perhaps friendship. The skeleton before her, no name currently given, was moving his phalanges as if his patience was waning. She decided that it be best if she did not wait any longer for fear of something ominous happening. She walked forward to meet him so that he did not have to come to her. He had been following her but he was still a good distance away. Her hand went to shake his own all the while Frisk had a bad feeling about it.

Sans distorted saw like smirk only grew as her hand came to grip his own. He had tampered with a joke joy buzzer that would leave the human with a rather jolting experience. The buzzer sent wicked shocks running through her system only causing him to burst into laughter. He finally let her hand go when he was finished with his none too pleasant prank, "Ha! Doll that was sweet! I didn't think I'd getcha with the ol joy buzzer in the hand trick!" He continued to fill the frozen air with his laughter. It would have been infectious if the one that had been pranked was not going to be soon nursing an electrically burned palm.

Frisk was greeted with a rather nasty electric shock when she had taken a chance on the skeleton in front of her. She had expected just a casual handshake to solidify the undeniable fact that she was a stranger here but, no. That would have been too easy. It hurt but at least she was still standing it was not like a game where electricity would have caused her to be frozen in place beyond a state of paralysis. Her head was slightly dazed from the unusual meeting but she just shook it off. She could have sworn that her heart was beating just a little bit slower after that and not due to her comfort level, cardiac arrest was more like.

One of her cobalt blue eyes unintentionally twitched. This guy, if you could call him that, just gave her a pet name. A pet name to a complete stranger no less. She just eyed him laughing away at the rather painful prank he just pulled on her. She really was a horrible judge of character so naive in her thinking. Her hand was still twitching from the electrical current that had passed through her as she placed it behind her back. She did not know what to think of this guy, err skeleton. His appearance was beyond intimidating but he was pulling pranks? Something did not line up. Didn't he say something about being a pal? That did not match up either from what she had gleaned from Flowey and her own personal conversations with Toriel. The smirk that twisted his face just before, upon reflection, was one that sent unwanted shivers down her spine. She hoped she wouldn't see it again.

Once Frisk's joy buzzer induced jitters had ceased as she removed her hand and let it hang off to her side. She was not sure if she should smile or pretend to laugh as she neither found it funny nor charming. If it were not for her usual happy go lucky disposition she probably would have had her eyebrows furrowed in mild terror. Instead, she decided on the latter only for it to come off nervous and shaky, "Hehehe y...yeah I… I guess I can be kind of gullible at times." She began to scratch the back of her head and play with her hair. A small, yet hesitant, smile graced her face. She was not sure how this was going to go but it did not stop her already irregular heart from beating faster.

Flowey internally cursed Frisk's trusting nature as she received a rather painful zap of electrical current. What he saw was a joke joy buzzer when the skeletal hand pulled away from her own. His glowing eyes watching with fear painted on his flower-like features. This was not good. He wanted to poke his head out of the bag and show that she was not alone but he feared for what would happen if another monster saw him. He was such a coward and he hated it. He continued to spectate silently his glowing eyes blinking within the darkness.

The skeleton's tone suddenly turned to one with a foreboding chuckle, "Heh.. boy I'll say doll." He motioned to the barrier his bro had erected some good feet away, "I hope ya not blind 'dere human... Ya know dis shit ain't gonna stop ya from goin through, right?" He silently watched her waiting for a reaction after his little...pep talk. If you could even call it that considering he was intimidating the human just through vocal inflection alone. He could see the confusion on her face, If she took too long to go through the barrier he would shove her forward instead. He was not going to waste any time.

Frisk attempted to comprehend what the skeleton in front of her was going on about. He seemed to know that it would not be an easy task to stop her from reaching the end of this journey. Still in mild confusion, Frisk just blinked. There was no real substantial way for her to make it through the gate behind her. She did not move as a look of concern crossed her face.

His eye lights were so focused on the human that he watched her fidget when he placed a hand over his face with a chuckle, "C'mon human lighten up ya should be proud ya know? After all... Didn't dat insane ol bag beyond da door tell ya?" If almost like clockwork, however, the mood once again changed. He used his magic to teleport right in front of her, moving her back adding a cruel grin to his already semi-permanent smile, "Ya lucky numba 7…."

Frisk could feel an aura of danger growing stronger. Before she would have pushed it away and thought it was but her paranoia. This sense was different than what she had felt with Toriel. Toriel's violence was based upon pure raw emotion. A grief that had consumed her to the breaking point. Any mention of such history would cause her to snap sending her into her unbridled psychotic bloodshed. This was very different. There was no motivation behind it. It was violence for the sake of it. There was only one word that swirled in her mind, amusement. All she could do was stare as her throat tightened. _Lucky number 7_.

Her eyes widened as the memory flooded the world around her leaving her in a scene of her own making. She remembered staring at the scrapbook that she had found in Toriel's room. All those children. All six of them now long gone from this world. The very thought of such darkness caused her to involuntarily shudder. The words that had described them swirled around in her mind perseverance, justice, bravery, patience, kindness, _DETERMINATION_. She gulped audibly.

 _The barrier that rose was indestructible except for one fatal flaw. The power of the seven souls could be used against the barrier, it would be broken and all would go free._

" _The only way to obtain a human soul… Frisk… is if it no longer inhabits a body." His tone had grown from informational to deeply disturbed, "You're a soul of integrity Frisk that bright cobalt blue makes it recognizable. They have already obtained six of the seven. Do you understand now?"_

 _Integrity…_

 _It was a scrapbook. Her nerves started to calm as she quickly flipped through it only to see pictures of the children she had seen in the hallway. The horrifying imagery stuck in the back of her mind as she turned to the front of the book. Each page had a name and some notes as well as a sepia photograph. Each page was well thought out and very informational. Some of the writing was in Toriel's hand and some were in a child's hand. Each one had a different theme to it. Some of them even had small doodles that a child might make with a crayon._

 _It was basically a memoir of all the children that Toriel had taken care of. All the children that had perished at the hands of the monsters here in order to be a means to an end, "The seven children. Frisk this is them."_

All of her thoughts were interrupted by a single blink. A distance that should have taken at least some time to make was but a millisecond, no, faster than that. She immediately took a step back as her throat continued to constrict leaving her mute. That comment was not just a simple fact it was a threat. She took another step backward hearing the snow crunch under her boots. She felt like this was not going to turn out to be good a situation. She could not help the audible gulp that escaped her, "I...g….guess. I...I also have a name you know it's Frisk I am more than just a human..."

It was cute how she tried to keep up a brave act when he could see her shaking ever so slightly. She was terrified of him which was exactly how he wanted it to be. He chuckled low and deep as he kept walking her back more and more until he pinned her against the barrier that kept her from running away.

Frisk took steps backward in order to impede his advances on her but all was for naught. Something hard dug into her back preventing her from progressing any further. The wooden beams of the gate from before were her deliverer. A deliverer into captivity. There was nowhere for her to go. He continued to advance on her pinning her against the odd structure. All she could do was hold her breath. She did not know what was going to happen. The fear that swam in her eyes was apparent and her hands were pressed shakily against the beams that flanked either side of her.

The skeleton had never been one to let his desires slip through his bony fingers. He had her trapped with no means of escape and he just drank in all the little betrayals her body emitted. He was about to make his intentions quite clear as his fingers slowly traced her sweater-clad collarbone. He couldn't help himself. His hand came to trail down the middle of her chest while the other was slowly sliding toward her rear, "Ya know what dat means… sweet cheeks?" That rear was looking just too gropable for him to resist.

Frisk's eyes were filled with a combination of shock, horror, and fear. Those once sparkling blue eyes which seemed to have a glow about them began to darken. They filled with the misfortune of a past she would rather erase from existence. A past that chained her down sending her into a spiral of horrifying flashbacks and broken scenes. A true Hell on earth. She was frozen but not by a fear that most would expect to consume someone in her position. No. It was something else. A deep-seated horror locked behind a vault of her own making. When she finally snapped to she grabbed the hand trailing down her chest firmly, "What is it you think you're doing?" Her eyebrows were furrowed and even with the frigid bite of the forests winter air could not stop her from sweating. She was not going to let anyone take advantage of her... _again_ , "No I don't know what that means." She could feel something different than before. She was sure she would have been paralyzed but such was not the case. Why the change suddenly came about she did not know.

*Frisk run!

Flowey shook his head vigorously just what was this guy planning to do?! He remembered what he said about the human soul. If this monster got a hold of her soul then...just as before he did not even want to even think of such a possibility. He obstructed his view of the scene with a leaf-like hand. His teeth dug into the soft part of his lip, eyes screwed shut painfully. He had to be brave for her, for Frisk. Just as he mustered up the courage to make his presence known...

He chuckled darkly when she bit back. Well, he was not going to let the human go anywhere and so he made sure that she stayed put. He leaned closer to her adding to his already sinister chuckle before he summoned four sharp redbones. They shot up from the frozen ground with a loud rumble shaking the earth. The spots from which the projectiles protruded looked as if it had exploded outward in a shower of dirt and debris. He leaned back a fair amount to admire his handiwork. The spears impaled the tender pale flesh of her thighs. He even heard the sickening squish and snap as the magically created weapon tore through her fragile human body. Her blood now added to the crimson glow pinning her in place and as an added measure he sent another round straight through her shoulders with a gut-wrenching crunch. It had cracked through her scapula.

The satchel that she had been carrying was severed causing the item to tumble downward and off into the snow behind the skeleton. The flap opened giving Flowey a full view as to what was happening. He could only infer so much from his place before. Now he saw everything displayed in front of him as he curled deeper into the dark recesses of the now fallen bag.

Frisk expected a rather biting reply from the monster in front of her. The time slowed as she waited and waited and waited for a response. There was no response but a split second of confusion followed by an unimaginable pain. The bones impaled her thighs only to add her right shoulder, then the left to the torture. She should have felt it. The agonizing pain that accompanied her scream. The bones had cut through her like she was paper to a pair of highly sharpened scissors. It severed muscles, tendons, nerves, and bone pinning her helplessly against the gate like a grotesque piece of artwork. The nerves now severed caused her entire body to shudder and quake as if some semblance of connection was still present. It was but a phantom. A reaction of the human body to continue to attempt to persist with its never-ending struggle to defy the inevitable. The blood continued to fall down into the snow below painting the frozen ground with a crimson pool. She could not move. She could not speak. The pain was unbearable and indescribable just like it had been before. That attack was not meant to kill her. No, it was far worse than that. It was meant to prolong her suffering before she succumbed to deaths merciless grasp.

" _The other monsters if they get a hold of your soul...there is no telling what they might do. Some may take it straight to Asgore but others..."_

He had pinned her to the barrier like a butterfly collector with his specimens. The only difference was the trails of crimson that began to stain her porcelain skin like a nauseating blank canvas. This was unlike anything he had experienced before as monsters did not bleed. His actions were creating a mess in which even his face now showed signs of a small spatter from the impact, "It means, kitten. dat when you're dead the barrier will be broken and We can get out of dis fucking shit hole finally. Dat fucking coward of a king can do his fucking job fa once." His mouth let out an almost animalistic growl at her, "But I think I am gonna have a great fucking time with you Kitten. Cause ya see... I like it... When my playthings have a bit a bite to em.." All he did was smirk at her even as she suffered. It was a sick and sadistic desire that plagued his mixed thoughts. One more unsavory than the last, "And well ya not goin' anywhere and ya lucky ya caught me in a good mood fa once, so ya know what I'm gonna do?"

Frisk's pain was of no consequence in her mind that is, externally tears had started to prick at her eyes. She should have known better. They all wanted her dead. How could she be so stupid? _I can't run. I can't fight. What am I supposed to do_? She tried to move even an inch but the pain was too intense. She whimpered in the process only to open her eyes enough to glare at him with furrowed brows. She did not want to know what he was thinking but it couldn't be good, "If you want my soul so badly then just kill me and get it...over with." She tried to act tough but she was shaking. What was worse? The pain or the fear?

*Frisk what are you doing!? You idiot!

Flowey just stared onward. His eyes were wide as he lay there immobile. He should have helped her. He should have said something. The horrifying image displayed before him would not leave his mind. He could smell the blood, see it, and probably touch it as it ran his direction within the snow. His entire plant like body was shuddering to the point that he was useless. He was watching his friend painted with her own blood. It was horrifying. _Is this the same torture and heartless massacre that she had endured with Toriel?_ He had been saved from the visual but now it lay before him. Her once pink lips dripped with crimson, her legs shuddering as she tried to move with a ghosted and severed connection.

His red eyes bore into her own blue ones where all he saw was a deep-seated physical but also emotional pain. Why did he give a damn? He wasn't going to care about some human girl that just fell down her and battered her pretty lashes at him, "I'm Gonna have... A GREAT TIME!" He replied accompanied by a deep, unnerving laugh as he stepped back and closed his fist. The bones that now pinned her in place began to branch off practically multiplying within her body. It was not long before the process ripped her body into bloody bits adding more carnage to his clothing. He was covered in her blood. He had just torn this human apart with a simple snap of his fingers. It was much too easy. He kept telling himself that he at least gave them a quick death though nothing could account for his torture of her before. He did not realize that his smile was gone replaced with a frown as he waited for the soul to materialize from what was left of her. It never appeared...

All Flowey could do was scream her name one final time, "FRISK!"

Nothing. There was not even an opportunity for one to think before being ripped apart. Her head had begun to drop as she felt her life draining. She had lost so much blood from the bones now impaling her shoulders and thighs. At least it was quick. As quick as it could have been anyway. She was impaled after all. Regardless before she felt herself being torn to pieces all she heard was a scream from in front of her. _Flowey?_

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛9̄̄҉̼̲͓̳̙̥t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

 _End of Entry..._


	12. Sans the Skeleton

Summary:

Frisk has once again made the wrong judgment call on first impressions will this skeleton hear her out or will she end up staring into the void once again? Remember that kindness and mercy are all we can give, Frisk is no exception. Her desire to get through to others may sometimes be her undoing. Oh and Flowey is there... poor guy.

{DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains graphic imagery and strong dark themes such as death, maiming, gore, sexual advances, and murder. It's really not that bad comparatively but I like to be thorough. Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

 **Welcome to the Underworld** **  
**{Log 2: Snowdin

Entry 1 PII: Sans the Skeleton}

Fragmented. Scattered. Shredded. These are all descriptive words of how she had died. There was no time as within in an instant she lay there. This time was different. She could not move her body for fear it might come undone like a ribbon being put to the blade. There had been so much blood. It had plagued the ground on which she had once walked infection it with a sick rouge. The pain? She was fortunate enough only to remember the pain of being pinned to the gate. The actual death had been so quick that her vision fell to black. She knew where she was. It was her choice to quietly lie there and give up or to continue just as she had when she died at the hands of the mother she longed for. This was her path. A journey filled with staring into the eyes of death. She had once again evaded his hands, though the monster that had killed her would have been a close second. Had Flowey watched her be torn to pieces? Did he scream her name when it happened? She could only imagine the remains of her body scattered in the snow continuing to paint its white gleam with a sickening ruby. She could still feel it dripping down her body as she hung there helpless.

Her eyes opened halfway to gaze upward toward the void in which she now lay. This place was but a limbo from her deaths. A place that served as a waiting room for the next batch of suffering. Why did she continue to insist upon such a foolish goal? What was the point to such hardships? As if answering for herself she shook her head. She was the soul of integrity. A soul that believed that a promise is the most sacred bond one could know. A soul of morality and sometimes foolish heartfelt pursuits. This was who she was. This was who she would always be. It was indeed true that she was lucky number seven. The seventh soul to set them all free and thus it would come to pass. She had to make it there on her own no matter the consequences. It drove her more and more. An invisible force that insisted upon her mission.

Frisk's eyes fell upon her bare palm where she opened and closed it to make sure the connections were still in place. The implement had left her limbs numb as the bone like spears sliced easily through every nerve in their target zone. Now she felt perfectly fine as she stood to her feet and once again made her way to the panel of decisions. It was no different from the many times that she had been brought to this place. Her hand hovered over the continue button before a familiar yet alien voice spoke.

 _*I promised I would protect you from all of this_

Frisk knew the speaker in question had no doubt been the one she heard within her own mind. The one that demanded she run or the one that called her an idiot in her decision making, "I know you will not show yourself to me." She had never seen the appearance of the speaker but the voice lingered just as it had before. A gentle embrace was all she felt. The voice was so close to her just to her right as if it were speaking directly into her ear.

 _*Fight back Frisk. It is the only way to put an end to your suffering. They are just monsters. Save yourself. They are not worth your mercy_

Frisk found herself saddened by the hopelessness in the tone of their voice. She knew she was causing those that cared about her pain due to her stubbornness but this was her path. She replied in kind to the stranger that seemed to currently have her ear, "Who am I to judge who receives and who does not receive mercy and forgiveness? Violence only breeds more violence. To give others hope for the future so that they may live a fulfilled life is what I am here to do. I will prove it. That...I swear." Her blue eyes blazed with that hope. It was a hope that fueled her and grew with each passing thought. The road of mercy was not an easy one, this she already knew.

 _*Why must you insist? Why must you be so stubborn!? They will continue to rip you to pieces over and over and OVER again and they will do it with a smile on their face. I have seen it. Do you not get it?! They will never change. They are MONSTERS._

Frisk only closed her eyes and smiled softly, "It may be the case that I will suffer but I believe in them. They were not always like this. They can change. I know it. You're only a monster if you give into the darkness that resides in us all. So please have hope. Have faith." Her hand rested on the button in front of her before she was bathed in golden light. Before she would have curled up and cried before. She was sure this was not the last she would see of this place. She was not perfect. She was only human. A human with an almost suicidal mission that had a low chance of success. The only words that were going through her head as the anger of the speaker was drowned out was… alright round two!

Frisk would feel an unknown wind swirling around her. As the wind began to subside just as quickly as it had appeared so too did the blinding white light. Her closed eyelids darkened indicating her arrival. She still did not exactly understand how this newfound power worked but she was sure that everything had been set back to where she had last felt this warm sensation. Her hands were outstretched as she stood in front of the star. She was once again in the clearing that she had nearly crawled into before she had frozen to death. She had to think this through.

Her walk back to The Ruins door appeared much shorter in distance than it had previously but I suppose that happens when you live in a perpetual cycle of deja vu. On her way back she had compiled a series of scenarios. Flowey had explained to her that only he remembered the resets so that would work to her advantage. Her body leaned against the double doors in thought. The first obstacle was the paralyzing handshake that she received the first time around. She needed something to insulate the electrical current so it would not affect her as much this time. The second obstacle was him following her. She assumed that the crack of the twig from the first time was inevitably the skeleton staking out the forest. That only brought a question to the forefront of her mind. Why? Surely there was no way that he could know about my arrival. Perhaps it was the door slamming that gave it away? That was a shame considering she had saved just after that part so there was not remedying that particular event. The third obstacle was the gate blocking her path. He would inevitably attempt to pin her to the gate once again if given the opportunity. There were so many factors. So many potential slip-ups. That's when she heard a rustle in the trees. Her gaze immediately scanned the area but came up with nothing.

She would have to decline his handshake this time around and possibly explain why she was doing so. He would not remember their previous conversation or his actions and so she would have to preemptively be able to dodge the bone spears that had been her undoing before. She had to confess that her nerves were all over the place. Her first encounter with a monster outside of The Ruins had been far from pleasant. She gripped her fists at her sides as she took a step forward. Here we go.

Flowey was still traumatized by what he had seen the last reset. He was not sure he would be able to stomach such a sight again as he lay dormant within Frisk's satchel. The skeleton had ripped her to pieces without mercy. In Flowey's eyes, all he could see was her suffering. All he could feel was his own cowardice holding him back only to scream her name in her final moments. He knew this was their world. A world soaked in violence and dust but this girl kept going. She knew she would decorate the snow around her. That she would fall prey to every single monster here. She was so strong in his eyes, someone to look up to just like he did to them.

Her eyes stayed trained on the gate in the distance, pace quickening as she heard the crunching of snow beneath her boots. As of right now, it was only one set of shoes. That was promising at least. She was sure she would hear one of two things. One could be the second set of shoes crunching in the snow or two it would be a voice. It did not matter which as Frisk was on the offensive even as she strode closer and closer to the scene of her last grisly death. One, one thousand, two one thousand, thr… Why do I hear nothing?

Frisk had successfully made it to the gate now as she wiggled the boards one by one in sequence to make an opening large enough for her slide through. It was not as strenuous of a task then she had first anticipated and time was of the essence. She aimed to kick one of the beams to make the gap even wider than before. Just a little bit more

 _*Something is wrong…_

Frisk did not have to turn to look behind her to tell that someone was behind her. The crunch of snow under assumed brown, black, and gold boots. He is not directly behind her like he was the last time. It was a risk but it was one that she was willing to attempt. He was not able to utter a single syllable before she straightened her posture. She placed her heel into the snow using it as a pivot as she whirled around to greet the stranger that she knew was behind her. Her body was moving on its own accord as she closed her eyes with a smile on her face.

 _*FRISK ARE YOU INSANE!?_

Sans came to a stop just behind her, "Don't ya know it's rude to not greet a new-" The ridge of his eye sockets furrowed similar to eyebrows as he looked at her. The look of confusion by her sudden acceptance that she was being stalked was confounding. That did not stop him as he kept up his menacing sharp-toothed grin. He had torn her apart limb from measly human limb. She just…. Smiled at him. What was wrong with this kid?

Frisk just continued to smile not looking at the skeleton that had just ripped her to pieces a timeline prior. She held out her hand to him with her friendly gesture of a handshake. Her inky lashes gave way to the sparkling cobalt blue eyes underneath. She caught the way he stared at her with a look of perplexity passing over his skeletal features. He was evidently surprised by her abrupt forcefulness. He probably expected her to cower at seeing him for the first second time. Not that he would be aware of the prior. The first time that they had a casual exchange he put forth his right hand for her to shake. The same hand that concealed the buzzer. She had preemptively made it so that he would have to shake with his left hand this time as she held out her right. This was her plan to not receive a rather unwelcome electrical jolt, "I just thought it would be rude to not turn around and shake a new friends hand." The comment was unnecessary but in her mind, it was a little play off of the lines he had said before.

As predicted she felt that boney hand in her own soft delicate hand and nothing happened. She had not noticed it before but shaking his hand was not as odd as she would have thought it to be. Sure he was bones but it didn't hurt or feel exactly what she had expected. She half expected his hands to be freezing since they were exposed bone but they seemed to emanate an almost magical warmth to them. She had to throw everything she knew about skeletons out the window. He was a monster after all. She highly doubted that any human skeletons that were brought to life somehow would have any of these qualities. The thought was a rather disturbing one if she were, to be honest about her own musings. The voice within her mind seemed to have a sort of haughty pride housed within its tone.

 _*Clever girl_

Sans didn't laugh this time, she had avoided his joy buzzer. It had been the same device that he used on her before. She seemed to have knowledge of its existence or it was just a coincidence and that was rather, "Interestin..." His baritone of a voice seemed to roll out of his mouth like silk. "Ya know doll.." He said as he took a step closer to her. "If I didn't know any better.. I'd a said ya knew I had dat joy buzzer in my hand.." He said, as he continued to stalk toward her. His grin had been twisted into a look of intent. If he had learned anything it was that coincidence was not a factor in the world in which they lived. She knew his intentions. He was now dangerously close to her as he had been before, "Feh.. Well anyway… Names Sans, Sans the skeleton. I'm suppose ta be watchin fer humans... But I don't care 'bout dat... now my bro... The Boss... He's a human hunting machine.." He replied offhandedly as he pushed her towards the barrier. "Let's go human."

Frisk expected a reaction or surprise but his reaction was rather aloof for lack of a better term. He did not laugh like he had the last time either. At first, she thought she had the upper hand but that feeling slowly sank into a new paranoia. There was that pet name again, subtle much? A step closer. One in which she matched his step forward with a step backward just as before, "Well that would be rather shocking wouldn't it?" She shook her head as if refuting his claim. His accusation increased her level of already growing paranoia. Only her and Flowey remembered the past timelines? Right? RIGHT!? She had to push the thought away, "If you don't care then why wait here? Wait… go where?"

Sans had his eye sockets narrowed as he halted his approach. He had successfully backed her into the gate once again. He could tell that her facade of feigned ignorance was slipping from her face. She was terrified of him for good reason. Perfect less work for him, "We're going ta see da boss doll and den... If ya survive.. Me 'n you got a little.. Discussion ta have.." Even as he said it he was not sure if bringing her to Boss was the best idea. He still didn't believe her sweet saccharine shtick. No one was that nice especially to someone that had just murdered you in cold blood.

Frisk's thoughts coalesced into a kind of task list as she internally struck off obstacle number one. A stupid thing to think that a plan would go so smoothly, neive. There is no such thing as a perfect plan. There is no such thing as a flawless execution. That did not stop her from smiling all the more. She hoped that perhaps he would see that she was not hostile and that her offer of friendship was genuine. She hoped and she prayed. His reaction, however, dashed her hopes. He had once again backed her up against the barrier that barred her way. This time it was loose giving her the opportunity, if need be, to give a forceful kick to the beams. If her plan went smoothly she would be able to cause the entire structure to collapse upon itself creating a pathway to her freedom. That, however, was an opportunity that did not present itself. As before she was pinned to the beams not by his former method, however.

That only begged the question within her mind that Sans, the skeleton in front of her, knew more than he was letting on. Even if her own actions had changed he would have repeated his own. This included the painful session of having the nerves of her upper and lower extremities severed with sharp bone-like projectiles. The memory was horrifying enough but her fear of an unknown left a rather bitter taste in her mouth. She could only imagine what kind of death or worse he had concocted. If it was true that he did indeed remember she was in a deeper pit then she first anticipated. The clarity of his awareness was muddied at best but the more she dove into it the more it made sense. His comment about her knowing that a joy buzzer was in his hand was not off-handed. It was a remark that solidified with an undeniable fervor that he did indeed know. Every time she had met with Toriel her beginning actions and conversations were carbon copies of each other. Her conversation with Sans was not. An anomaly within another anomaly.

He stated that he did not care about his human hunting position, not like that of his brother but why? If she were to take his claims at face value she would come to the conclusion that he was only messing with her. She had not met this… Boss yet but she could feel in her gut that she would be in the near future. Her attention was back on the skeleton getting a little too close for comfort. If he did not care why did he kill her? Why did he insist on stalking her? Did he get some kind of sick amusement out of it? Did he enjoy feeling her lifeblood coating his bony hands? NOPE. She had to stop thinking about this or she would miss an opportunity.

It was an opportunity that the skeleton was not going to give her. This time, however, he was going to use a slightly different tactic. Instead of pinning her to the gate with his magic he would be using his actual hands instead. His hands grabbed hold of her wrists slamming them into the wood. The sharp tips of his phalanges dug into her soft skin piercing it easily causing blood to slowly drip down her arm. She cried out in pain before looking at him wide-eyed those blue eyes boring into him. A sick amusement? Maybe. He just wanted it all to stop. He was so damned tired of waking up day after day stuck to repeat the same thing over and over and over again. It was a madness that only he was able to endure. The human in front of him. IT WAS HER FAULT, "What's tha matter doll ya hurt?" He said it condescendingly with a look of mockery plastered to his skeletal face. As another wince fell from her lips. If he killed her this would all stop but didn't he do that before? He was right back in the same DAMN place. He threw logic out of the window at that moment. He wanted to hurt her to cause her pain for what she had done to him. Boss, Asgore, the barrier be damned.

His grip on her tightened as he threw her off to the side. He would prove that her sweet innocent attitude was nothing more than a ruse. No one would wait to die. No one would spare a killer. The blood that now slicked the tips of his fingers made him look even more menacing than before, a true monster. His shark-toothed smile was gone replaced with red burning eye lights and frown as he looked down at her, "GET UP."

Frisk opened her mouth to speak to him but he cut her short as he slammed her against the gate with his own hands this time. His fingers dug into her wrists causing them to bleed and spillover staining her pale skin. It hurt. It hurt so badly. It was like dull knives forcing their way into her skin. His fingers weren't sharp like knives but they did the job as she winced in pain. She couldn't move he was too strong. All she could do was stare at him in fear. He was going to kill her again. She tried to utter a plea of mercy but all he did was throw her to the side into the snow yelling at her to get up. Why? Why was he doing this? She did not understand. She rose to her feet slowly trying to stand. Did he want her to fight? To prove a point? She wasn't going to do it. She didn't want to fight as she took a step backward quickly. She needed to run or to do something… anything. She was about to turn but when she turned her head she bumped into someone. Someone she really didn't want to bump into.

Sans glared down at her even as she began to try and run away. Oh no she didn't. Just as she turned away from him he appeared behind her and grabbed her by the shoulders laughing threateningly into her ear as she shook with fear, "Tsk... where do ya think yer goin kitten?" He held her as she struggled more and more. She wasn't going to fight huh? Fine.

Frisk continued to struggle in a panic within his arms. She was scared of what he was going to do to her. His laugh sent an involuntary shudder up her and down her spine. All she wanted was to get through this. What had she done to him for him to do this to her? Her eyes were on the verge of tears but they never came. She felt it as it almost didn't register. Her widened blue eyes looked down at her chest. There was a bone straight through it, red in color and sharpened to a point. The pain was so intense she could not even feel it. She was numb as the cold crept up her body. Again. Again she was going to die. Her body was losing its ability to move. She was incapacitated. All she could do was cough as a macabre line of crimson ran down the corner of her lips. The last thing she registered was him growling something at her as he let her body fall.

Sans summoned one of his magical attacks, a bone spear that could easily get the job done and ran the human right through the chest. He growled in her ear, "Dont come back." before letting her body fall to the snow in front of him. Her blue eyes stared ahead slowly losing color as the snow around her was painted with her blood. There done...could he finally get on with his life now? He tapped his foot a few times trying to not watch her slowly die and bleed out. It was so thick it almost made it way to the front of his shoes. He didn't want to look at his handiwork but when he did his expression faltered for a moment. How was she still alive was the cycle finally bro-

Frisk's vision was starting to go when she heard him tell her not to come back. She wanted to cry out that was something she didn't want to do but she had no choice. He just stood there watching her bleed out. Her lower body was now completely motionless. All she could do was cough once before tears streamed from her eyes. She tried to move, to do anything but her body was no longer functioning. It wasn't long before the numbness spread more and more. Her vision was blanketed in black before it was all over.

Sans stood at his sentry just after his thoughts had been cut off. She had finally died and here he was. He stared at the familiar station and punched his fist into the wood causing it to splinter, "FUCK." It didn't work. He was right back where he fucking started. AGAIN.

Take 3…

Take 4…

Take 5…

Take6...7….8….9….10...11...12...13...14...15...16...17…...20….30…...50…..7̸̛̫̖͚͕̠͍͙̼̮̱̟̫̞͉̜̗̘̫̠̈́͆̇̆̓̋͑̄̇̎̇͊8̸̡̲̬̯̯̖̰̝̦̤͈̥͍̥̱̋̉͛͆͌̎̽̄̄͋͑̚̚̕͝ͅ9̸̢͍̭̣̞͇̘͈͓̲͙̻̖̩̘̙̝̺͐͒̈́̉͗̔̾̚͘͠͠8̷̧̢̡̢͍̝͇̝̩̹͔͇͉̮̭̖͍̃̿3̸̡̛̤͚͔̠̟̖͔̪͙̭͉͍̬̝̝̫̯̖̎͋̌͗̃̋̄̋̈́̅͜ͅ7̸̨̨̻̳̬͓̖͔̤̖̪̭̠͇̼̹̞͓̫͒̔͘͜͜͝͝9̸̭̭̓̾͆̆̅̅̌͑̒̿̋͌̑̃̒̉̒̿̓͒̄̚̚̚2̴̛͍͔̟̋̌̀̊̐͆̅͗̓̆̅̌̓̏̈́́̍͊̈̅͠7̷̧̬̗̫͉͕̲̠͍͇̼̟̫̣̗̀̈́̐͑̊̑̏̍͜͝8̸̨̢̢̪̜̰̯͈͙̪͈͉̬͖͆̓̆̔͊̄̿̄̋̉̐͜͝3̵̡̛͓̼̤͇̣̝͕̬͉̫͚̭͙̊̾́̋͌͘͝͝ͅ7̸̡̡̡̘̭̳͉̮̟̰͓͓̗̦͉̳̰̠͎̰̩̖̗͕͖̈́̈́͛͆̑̕͝8̶̛̖̆̋̌̽̍̋̓̊́̀͆̿̓́̚͝7̶̛̛̮͓̬̙̣̗͊̈́́͛̏̄̓͗͊̓̅̂̅͐̍̓̉͒͘̚̕͠8̸̩͕̻̜͍͙̰͙̠̺͚͑͌̆ͅ8̶̛͉͚͈̱̫̦̰̣͎̘̞̠̘̳̲̥͖̟̗͈̙̲̫͆̏̓̍̐͒̐͗̑̒̚͘͜3̴̡̛̰͔͍̖͔͋̓̈́̊̄̋̃͗̂̽̂́̈́̚̚̚͜͠͝͝͝8̴̢̢̧̨̡̛̖̭͓̹̘̖̹̱̹̰̤͍̪̂̎͂̈́̋͂̈́̈́̈͜͜͝͠9̵̛̛̹̫͖̳͕͖͈̼̟̩̥̖͈̻͎̣̝̮̳͙͈͈̟̘̒̑͐͗̊͠2̸̨̛̛̥͍͙̯͚͕̦̟͎̭͍͒̈̇͑̾̈́͂͌́̃̐̽̄̃̔̈̚͘3̸̢̧̛͙̮̪͇͓̯̠͙̼̞̝͎̜͈͊͋͒̆̆͒͂͆̍͋̇͐̉̾̐͛̄̏͒̄̕͜͝7̶̭͛̊͂̇̇͒̅͛́̔̀̋̊̈̿́̈́͌̀̚͝8̷̨̨̢̧̗̟͈̯͛̈̽̄̎̆͗́̄͆͒̃̔̊̉̈́̂̕̚͠͠͝4̸̱̀͐͘7̶̨̧͙͓̯͓̯̮̰̩̱̻̭͓̘͍̻̽͊7̷̛̖̼̼̖̰͇͙͓̳̭̯̞̰͔͎̯̥̩͍̮̭̠͙̏̒͒̒̎2̶̥̱̙̩̳͈̻̙̥̪̔̐̐̇́̇͋͑̊̾͊͌̄͆͋̚͘̚9̶̨̯̪̹͇̬͓̿̿͆̅̃̈́̔͌̃̎̒3̴̡̛̣̗͙̼̝͈̳̱̦̭͔̰̖̬̼͚̘̘̈̌̄̇̑͜7̶̨͇̮̖̙̒͗̓̃̀̾͋̎̅͑̈̓͛͘͘͠4̷͎͍̺̯̥̤̠̬̠̜̲͎͔̙̘̰̝̖̱̐̍̄̓̏͜͜͝͝7̵̡̡͎̫̺͕̮̝̗̬̫͇̞̞͙͇̅͛̿̇̊̚ͅ8̴̣̜̜͕͇͚̥̻̒̿̅̅̽́̋̏̌͌͊͘͘ͅ3̶̛̝̩͖̲̘͇͕̩͖̬̩̟͈̏̍́̾̿̍̌̿͊̊̄̒̋̄̓̉̿͋̄̽̚8̴͓̬̬̮̦̙̫͍͍̖̩̭̊̅̈́̽̓̒̋̄͜͜͝2̸̡̡̡̙̺͕̗̺̫̫̼̬̠̘͖̫̻̻̠̝͗͌̈̄͝ͅ9̷̧̹͕̤͎̘͍͚̑̓̄̌͜ͅ3̵̡̥̺͎̯͖̟̝͖̙̿͋͛͋̇̊̋̃͆͒͐̕͝8̶̡̢̨̢͈͈̮̬̱͙̬͖͍̟͙̱̜̟͈̘̦̞͖̊͑͛̇͗̒̎̌́̃̍̈͊͝ͅ4̸̨̡̢̱̮̙͈͇̱̝̜͇̺̖͖̓̌̂̑̄̍̊̐̎̋̌̊͒͂̐̓̍̿͆̕̚̚͝ͅͅ7̸̨̧̢̢̨̹̝͖̠̗̪͖̟̹̞̫̜̰͉̦͔̠͇̗̂̂̏̎ͅ3̸̭͇̱̯͖̪̝͚̪̋̚9̴̨̯̩̬͉̰̺̫̭̗̥̗̻͔̣̞̟̰̂̇̈́͐͗̽͑̔̀̒͆̍̈́͂̑͗̕͘͘͠͝4̸̧͓̲̼̲̟͇̲͈̣̣̱͚͇̬̒̓̑͌̂́͛͑̍͊̅̍͊̇͋̒̂͋̕͜͝8̵̢̛̮̜̫̱͐̐͒̊̀̈́̌̎̕̚͘̕͝͝2̴̛͇̤̫͍̠̮̺̺̖̟̥͔̮̗̪̘̱̭̩̰̈́̄̆͑̑͐̃̄̎̏͒͐̄͌͒͑̚͠͝͝6̵̧̡͚̠̟͉̣͉͕̪̗̳͍͙͈̝͙̣̥̰͙̈́͗͆̿̿̊̒̆̄̂̍̈́̚͜͜͝5̴̰̗̈́͗͑͝9̵̡͖͙͍͕͕̜̞͚͉̙̼̫͈̯̽̒̌ͅ3̸̢̫͔̥̪͙͉͓̗̺̪͇̺̗͈̝̭̗͓̞͐̓̓̒̂͜2̷̨̡͕̖̰̱̦̘͉̜̯͖̫̹͖̘͈̲̙̀̉̏́͒̈́̍̔̓̈́̓͒̒͌̽̉͝͠8̶̧̦͚̲̹̄̓͘4̶̢̡̗̮̦̘͎͖̦̦̥̮̭̼͎̬̘̫̱͙̗̗̪̔͆̃̿̈͒̏̈́̉͑͗̌͗̂͒̉͋͋̓͘͘͝7̸̦̗̯̞̌͑̓͑̀͌̍̚2̸̢̢̩̮͉̪̜̳͔͍̭͎̯͋͋̃͜͝͝3̸̡̖̝̥̰̞̬̙̖̹̫̻̞̜̤̺͍̲̣͖̫͋͆̊̾́͝ͅ9̶̡̡̰̞̜͈̳̼̪̙̬͎̭̯͋̓̋͆͌͐͐͗̑̚4̶̡̛̠̝̯̝̟̝͈͖͖̤͍͇͖͉̅͑̄̋̇̃̌́̐̇̌͆̆̾̐͑̎̔͊̾͂̚͜͝7̶̞̦͓̺̲̦̳̩̱͎͋̎̍̃͑̈̊̍͛̿̿͝2̴̡̡̢͎̲̜͇̲̙͉̩̖̭̮̹͍͕̲̻̳̟͊͛̉̆͛̍̿̊̀̂͌̈́̾͋̍͋̈́̎͑͜͝͝͝3̷̢̢̛̝̥͖̲̼̝̙̹͈͇̝̫̤̩̟̱̜̫̪̭̲̼̓̈́͐̎͛͌͐͐͝ͅ9̶̨̢͙͔̤͓͓͖̱̪̳͖̦͈͎͙̮̩̽͂̌4̷͎̥̗̝̊̓͗̈́̈́͊͛͘7̷̢̛͍͚̬̂̔́̍̓̒̊͋̕͝͠4̸̡̡̨̛̝̦̹͖̬̠̞̫̜͎̯͉̥̱̬͙͖̹̪̖͑͌͑͐̅̾͛͗̑̓͗̆̏̐̋̇̈̈́̕͝͝͠8̴̡̨̛̛̱̙̝͕̟̻̫͓̝̺͖̟͈͕̉͐͊̌̐͆̓͋̓̏͐̚͜͜9̶̤̹̜͙͐̏̀͑͐̆͋7̴̡̲̰̗͉͎̳̲̀͌2̴̰͉̻̟̳̙̠͆̂̏̽̇̒̆̒̆̆̃̍̎̎͋̍̏͋̄͘̕͠͠3̴̨̡̩̪̙̝̬̣̜̠̼̪̾̉̀͑4̸̧̨̼̳̙̭͉͓̰̉̅̅͆̅̒̏͒̃̉͐̐̚͝͠͝7̸̛̞͎͍̘͙̗͉̪̠̘̫̠̗̜̰̮̦̼͔̋͋̑̌̑̊̇͊̈̌͂͂͗̽͌̊̎̆́̈́͠͝2̶̢̛͕̳̥̙̘̲̟̳͒̔͛͘3̴̨̝̦̗̲̬̱̝͚̖̠͗̉͠4̵̧͙͉̰̘͎̫̞͚̜̃̓͗̅̓̓̑̎̎̽̂̽̽͜͜7̸̡̛̺̰̲̱̟̣̱̝̲̅̉̃̽͋̐͒̄̒̑̚͜͝

Continue? Continue? Continue? Continue? Continue? . . .

Cͨo̊nͯt̿̄́̚i̾n͗͐ͦ̔ͦ͋u̿ͫ̈́ͩ̓̌eͤ̎͛̆ ̋ͧ̐ͨ̚C̎͌͗ͣoͥ͑͌͋nͬ̋͂tiͦ́̾ńuͦ̈e͒̓̿̿͂ ͣ͑̈̄̃̌̑C̎̍̅ͪ̋͌̔o͐̍͛̆ͨ̇nͯtͫinͨ͛̓ȗ̎ė̌ͨ C̒̐ͭͭͧ͊͌on͂ͣ̈̉t̊̌̎̌̈ͨiͭͥͧͬ̍n̆͊ͩu̎̒͆̂e͌̉̅̇̌̚ ̓́͒ͩ̌ͥ̎C̑͂̑̾on͂͒̈́t̾ͫ̈͐ͥ́i͛̈́̅̾ͯͬn͊̄͑̔̀uͦ̽̂͊̇ͤ́e ̈C͋̄̅ͨ̒͒͒o̒͋̊͒́̀̊n̓t͐̆̿ͦ̂ͥ͑i͊̍n̄͆̏̔ù̉e ͥ͌ͮ̉̅̑ͬCͭ͆ͣ͑͆̄ͮo̓̀̀̏͊n̾̚t͛̇́͌iͪ̐͒̏ͤ̊n̈̈̀̂̔̉ȗ̇͒͊̂̉eͧ̐ ͧ̾ͫ̽͆ͧͬC̈́ͨ̈́ͤ́͆ͦo̅ñ̌͐͂́͂͐tͮ͗͋ͯi͛̽̇̏nûͬͨe͊̀ ̍̇ͭC̐̎͊̏ͪ̒̏o̅ͤͨn̄̈̇t̍͂́̀̓̆in̒͑ú̓̍e͌̏͌ͧ Cͦͯ̍ͭ̔oͤ͐ͧ̽ͪ̚n̚tͯ̿ͩ̌̅̅̄i̅ͪ̊͂ñ̃ͮ͌̉ǔ̎̅ͬ̅ȇͦ͑ ̾̊̚Cò̍͌n͌͛͛̌̍͑ͦẗ́̒ͫī̋̓ͫͦnuͮͣe̓̔̽̔̌̎̋ ͐̊ͥͩͫ̒̓Cͯ̈ōͪͬ̽n̒̇́ͣ̔̒tḯn͋uͣ̐̑̓̽ͦe̿ ͛C̾͒̆̄̾̅o͋n͂̉͌ͨ͑ͮ̊t̊ͥ̚in͊ͪ́uē̏ͦ̽͌ͤͧ ̏̍C̋̏ͮ͊o̐ͭͭn͗ͮ̎ͪtͦ̎ͤ̆ͣͤi̚nu͋ͤͬeͥ̐ C̚öͣ͑̿n̑̅t̎ͥiͦͥ̿̄ͬ̓nu̒e̊͆̔ͤ̈́͋̾ Co͊nͭͦ̓̇t͂͐ͪi̒̀ṅ̆ͤͨ̓ͫu̍̑e͛̔̀ͫͭͩ ́̿̒ͩ͆C̈́̓ͫ̇͋o͛͛͋̎ͫnͨ͊͛t̃̃̚iͪ͋n̆̃u͆̂̏e͛ͮ͆ͤͯ ̋̍̊C̈̃̈́̌͛̿oͭ́̊̔̏ͨ̾n̓͗͋̎͗t́i̅̆͑n̄̂ŭeͪ̾ ͋̒ͯC̀̋̔͋onͤ̌̄t̆̔̎̔̈͗i͒͛ͮ́n͐̾̊ͤ͋ͨ͌u͗eͬ͐ͤͫ͛̆ ̾̂̋ͮ̆C̆on̎t͗ǐ̽̏̋̈͛̇n͑͒̇ͥ́́̚ǘ̋́ͮ̇̚ẻͪ ͗ͣ̚C̆͋ͫ͛o͋̃ͤ͒̓ͤ̑nͬ͆ͨtͮͦ͛̌́inͯ̏̓̑̂̌uͮ͗̿e̽ ̎̂ͯ͛̿̈́̓Cͭ͊̂͑̍ͬo̽̊͋́͗͊ͧñ̑ͪt̓͋͛̆ͫ̚iͫ͑̌̆ͬ̋n̿̾ú̾̅ȇͭ͂ͫC̒̂̏o͂nͭ͊ͤ͂tͫ̂i͆ͬͦ̿ͨ̚n̍̌͛ͪͭ͆u̍̃e̋͑̀ͥ͒͆ ͭ̈C̀̒́̂̈́oͪ̈͒͋̍̾n̍ͦ̽t̾ͤ̈̈̿ì̑͐ͮͮ̍̔n̓ͧͫͤ̆ǘ͗͋̋e̿̐̆͑ ͩ̔̄ͥͫͨ̇Cͣo̽ͥͦͪ̑ͬ͊n͑t̃̍̽ͪ̏i̾ͩnͩ̓̏̚ȕͮ̀͌e̍̃̃̅́ ̏̍C̃ỏ̄n̿ͬ̂ͩt͊̆̏iͨ͊ͥͪ͐n̈́ͤͦͨǔe̋͋̆ ̏̈C̏ͨo̐̓̍̏͋̚n͊́̒̅̈́tͬ͛̅̄̓̽ĩ̎n̈́͌̂uͬ̓̾̽̔́̚e ͆ͤ̀Cͮ͋̉͛ͩ͌̚on̒̉͆ͥtinũͯ̾̀͒̀ȅͫ̆͗̚ ̾͆ͨ̈́̊C͒ͦ̎̉̐́͌őͩͣ̌nͮ͋ͥ̌ͩͥͫtͩ̂ͥi͐́̈́̈́̎͂̉n̈̓ŭͨ͐e Č̔̏̋ͦ̚o͌̐́n͂̒ͥ͌̎ͪ͆t̉̄i̓͛̿n̂ͣͥ͆ȕ̒͂e͌̎͗̚ ͐̃͆̾C̊̃̔ͩ̋̌oͬ̇̚n͗͋̒t̽̏̇ͫͩinuē̇͒̍̔͆̈́ ̓͆͂̔̒̊̃Coͩͪ̋n̎tͭͯ͆̍ͬin̔̀ͥ̊úͤͯè̀͋ͣ̊͌̉ ̄C̏̾õ̃̈ṅ̏ͤ̾̿̊tͭ͊ͩ͆iͫ̌͗̚n͌͑̑͆̒ͩ͒u̍̿eͮ͆C͋͛ͤ͐ő̌̌n͒ͤͭ͂ͯ̓t̄̐̃̀̒̒̓i͗nͣ̓͑̊̒̌uͩͨe̊̄̀ ͋̐͑͊͊Cͫoͦ̍̽ͨ̚ǹ̏ͮ͐̎tͩ̒̎̽iͦ̋ͨͪ͆̓n̒ͯ̾u̓ͬ̍̀ͨe̋ ͤC̀̽̐on̒̇͋͋̄̇ͫt̾ĭn̔ͦ̈́ue̿̄̄ͫ̇ ̉̃Ćͯoͩͯ͂̐n͂t̽͑i͆̈ͤn͛̌̃uͪͯͪ̔̄ëͮ͛ͦͮ̈́̈ ͊͆́̈̍ͮCo̐̾ͮ̒͛n̔t̽i͗͊ͩ̽̂͗̋n̿̋̌̈́ͮu͆e̅ ̈ͦC̈̒̋̽ò̿̋n͗̍̒ͩ̅͐tͦ͂͑̈ͪ̒͌iͮ̂͒̋͌n̍uͨ̅ͫ͛͋ͧͧe͗̄͗ ͐͊ͭ̐̂̆C͛̓̅̆͗o̐nͪ̅tȋ͋n̐ͧͫủe̔̑̿̇̉͌̀ ͋̈Co̓̃ń̋ͮ͌t̋i̇̏̔ͦͬn̆̑ͯ̀ͦ̔̚ůͮ̆ͥ͊͊êͮ̆ͧ̋̅̔ ͮͨCͩô͆̋̿̐̐̿ntͦͩí͛̒ͥ͊ͥ́n͆͆͋͂̏̚̚u͊̽̄͌ͥ̈́̅e͒̈ ͑̉̎͆̒C͂ͫ̐̉ͧ̇ͩỏ͆͋ͭn̉̏̒t̍̄͋͛in̓ͣͣͣͬuͮ͐̅̍̚eͪ̆͑̈̏ ̾̃C̔͌͋ȏ̄̂ͬ͗nͪ̆̉̉̿t̎͒̍ͬin̈ͦͯ̍̇ueĊ̽͑̂ṑͨ̈̔̚n͋̄ͩ͂t̽i̔ͥͬ͑ͤ́̚nu̿͌ͭ́͊̚e̔̊ͦ͒͆͑ ͥ͂̋̑̈́̐̀Cͥͣ͊̊̈ͥ̚o̎̈̓n̏ͮ̔̐t̅i̾͋n̆uͥ̆̐ͣ̃e̋ͭ̈́̑ͮ̋ ͦ͆̎̀̈̑͌Coͣ̓ͨn͋͐͂̌ͣt̍̑͊̋̋ͭ̚inͬͨ̃͐ͨ̊͑ue̽ ̉Cͭ̑͌̔ͯͤͮỏ͛̐ntͧiͣ̔̋̏̊̅̀nu̿̂ͣé ̽ͫ̆̔̏Cͨ͊oͭn̈́̇̈́͛t͗ͥ̊̿ͤ͌̔iͣͥ̇ň̎ͩ̽uě̀̓͌̄̑̿ ͤͭC̍͑̈́̌̽͌öͨnͩ̀̚tͣ̎ͭ̿ͤin̔͆́͊̋u̍ͯ̂e̐ͬ̂ͥ͌̚ ͣͭͯ͗ͭ̂͊C͊̀͑ô͊̈ntͬǐ̌nuͩ̓e ͑ͬͨ͗ͭCo͂ͦ̌ͯͧ͛ͩn̋̿͛ͩͨ͊t͋̊ͣ̂i̓̎͊̊̎n̈́̽͐uͨ̆ͧ̅̇ĕ C͛̎ő̔ͭ̃ͯn̍͋ͭ̊̑ͧ́tͩ̔ͪͪ͒͂ȉ̔̚n͒ͣ̃ũ̓e̒͐ͭ ͮC̽̈́ͧ͊̑̐̚ó̿n̄͌͂tͧi̿͋̃͗n͋͒̀̿ͭuͭeͭ̃ͮ C̍ò̊͆n͌̆tiͬ͊ͨ̐ṅ̃̚u͌ͪèC̾̎̒̔̉oͧn̂̅ͦ̉t̽ͤ͊̾in͐̇̓̌͌͌u̅͐ͨ͌e̋̓ ͤ̅̚C͂̈́ͯon̾t̑̈́̽i̒ͥͥͬ̏͆ͭn̈́ͫ̈́u͐͛͒́ͧ͗eͧ̍͒̿͒͂ͩ ͒͐Cͧ̉͑̐o̅͊n͗t̐̊͆̑ͦͧ̚i̾n̎ͧ̓̑uͮ̃̂̂͋e̊ͤͣ̍ͬ ̐͂͆Ĉo̒͂ǹ̚t̄ͮͩ͌i̔̆ͣ̍͑̐nͧ̿u̒ͫeͭ̉ͭ̓̈́ ̾̉̋̀Ċ̄̋o͋̾͒̔̆ͮnͦ̋ͭ̓ͧtͨͫ̀̔̂͛in̈́ͪ̓̐͌͐̚u͛̆e̋ͨ ̑̈́ͧͮC̔͒̒ͪo̎̿̽̀̋ͧ̅n̑̌͆ti͒̑̇͑nu̓ͥ̾ĕͣ̈́̈̅ͨ̌ ͩͣ̊̓̑̊C̏̈́͑ͮ̈́̅ͤon̚tͭ̅̇ͯiͮ̚n̔͛́͆̽u̎̉̎̎͆e̒̽̀̓ ̍̓Cͪͣͥ͛̾ͥͮó̔̇̈́ͧͪ̎nti͋͑ͩͥ̚nuͧ͂ͫ̑̾e̓̍̆ ͌̍ͧ̐͋C̓̂͗̑͂͆͊o̚nͧ̾ẗ́͋͗i͌ͦ͐͛̑n̏̾̊ͪ̿ŭ͛ͣe͐̅͂̆ͨ͆ ͮ̉̔̋̊C͌ȏn͋͋̒t͒̓ḯ̌ͯͩn̿͂uͫ͋eͧ̾̑̐ͭ͐ ̾C̎́̊on͛͋tiͯ̚n̔̓̄ͪuͨ̔͊e̅ͫ̉C̃ͬ̇ȍ̈̔ͫ̉̔̽nͤ͌͂̄ͩ̓͂t̋ͨͤ̆ͥì̇̉̽n̍̊̇ͪ̉u͒ͤe ͗C̆́͛͐̊̍ͥo̿ͪ̐͌n̋ͨẗ́̑ͤ͒̔̃̿i͑ͣͥn̎u͐e̿͊̊͋ͭ̉̚ ̈́͒͊Ćͧ̋̆͆̒onͩt͗͗ïͬ͂͂͐͒́nͩ̽̐uͦͦͩ̎e̊̎ͪ̃̒͌̈́ ̃̊̓͐́ͦͯCo̊̑ͯͯ̈n̎̈ͤt̎̾ͬ̔̃̎̾iͥ͗̌ͣͦnü̊́ͫͫẽ̂́̓ ͮ̒͊Con͗ͭͮ̅͆̈́͆tͨͥͪ̇i͂̈́n̈͐̃̂̊̑͐u͆̂̊͋ͣ̀̔e̊ͫ̎ ͌̽C͗͛ͨ̇ͥoͤ̿ͣ̾͒͒ͦn͊ͯ̌͂ͬ̾͆t͒ͦ͑͋̍̀ͮi͂n̏̂̓u͋ͭ̄ͭe̿̓͌ͪ̎ͫ̓ ̌ͯ̌ͪ̎̈Cͫͬ̾͑̎ͪ̍on̓tͯ̄͗ͥi̎̃̎͂nue̊̀ͯͬ̀ ̔ͭ͛̄ͬ͋Cͭ̎̏o̒n͗͒ͨ̌̑͌tͪ̌ͥ͗̒ͪ̿iͪ̾́ͤͥnȗ̂ͦͣ͊̌e͆ ̿̏͛̄ͦC̍o̍̐̉̍̈́n̓̔͐̈́̚t́̈́ͤiͦnͨ̈͛ͤ̽̑ͮu͂͛̏ͭ̎e͛͒͋ͦ̒̌ C͐ȍͦ̈́͒͋͑ͨň̓͑t̓̎ͥ̂ͦ̔̚i̿̒̓͑̆́nͪͦuē͑͆̄̍̚ ̒̇ͤ̑ͣ̈́̚Cͩ͒͐̊̌̾̽o̓ͤ̒nͫ̄̔̽̂ͮ̋t̐ͯͭ̓͋̓inͪu̓̑̈́̿ͣeC̅ͥo͐͛̊ͤ͋nͦ̿̒tͪ̒i͒̾ͮ̈́n̂̇̔̅̌̉ͧu͆̈́ͨ̎ͯͦ̚ë̑̈̎ ͨ̾̈́C̉oͣͤͮ̉ͫͤ́n̓t̊̋i̾ͥ͐ͦ̊ǹu͆̾ͥ̈́ͫ͗̚e͐̄̌ ͂ͩ̐ͪ̒̒̽C͊ͧͥͣon̍͆̈̄̒t̋̂̍͗ͬiͪnͧ̿̆̒̉űĕ̾̍̌ ͋̇̍͛̿ͨCo͊̀̈́̎ͬ̎n̾̑t̓̓̋̈iͣnͨue̎̏̑̾ ͛̃ͩ͆͐̑Coͫn̐̄t̉ĭ̂ͩnͪͯ͑̃uͨͨ͑̑eͧͫ ̃͐ͩ͒C͐͛͒ͭͫ̾o͆̾ͨͤ̌͒̀n̑̐͆ti̒̽ͤ̽̒ͨn̋̿͋̇uͮ̽̉͐̌̌̊e ̎C͋̍̄̃̿õ̔̈́̔ͯ̎ͧnͭ͗t͆̊̄iͩ͐̑ͥͭn̾̉ͤu̽ͦ̑͋̈́e̍͂ Ć̓on͋̾̅̓ͥti̾ͦn͐u̍̈̐ͤͬȅ̅̏̆ ́ͫͦ͆ͪͪ̄Ć̐ỏ͊n̾ͬͫ̽ti̾̓n̓u̔ͯ͋e̚ ̏ͨ͑̅̇Cͯ̊o̽ͨͥn͊̏̊̒̇͒̅tͦ̾iͮ͌͌̿̂̓nͦ̈́̂͐̋ͭuͯ̑ͥͥ̊ͥ̚e͑ ̎Cͭ͐̒͌̅o̓͋̓n͛̋ͭͬt̐̽ͮ̊̑̅i̿̂ͦǹuͭ̓̐̋̔e͌̃̄ ̉ͩ͆C̄̉́́ͧ̄̌O͆̋͑ͤNͨ̓̑̑̄Tͯ͊ͤ̅͐ͭ̊I̓̿ͨ̉̈́̈́Nͤ̅̇̒̌Uͥ̒Ē̑ͨ͌̐ ̔͋Č̍̓O͑̓̓ͯ̋͑̒N̋́T̈Iͭ̏ͪͪN̊̇ͤ͒́͒Ŭ͒ͧ́ͦͮ̏E̎̆̎̂̑͆ͭ ͩͥ͋C̿͋̾͊O̿͌̇ͭN̋TIͣ̆ͨ̓̓̉̄Ñ̌́ͣͨUE͛͂̌ͤ̏ ͒̌́̇C̆͌̅̚Oͬ̇ͧͣ̚N̏ͤ̾ͥ̎͗̚T̓̆͆̋̉IͨNU̒E͗͐ ͬ͛͛̓͛Cͯͨ̈̏ͤO̊͋̒N̈ͥ͌̋ͤT̽͋͌ͦ̾Iͦ̍ͬͪ̇́ṄͦU̓̑ͧEͮ̇ͧ̀ͮͥ ͣͥͯ̆C̆ͯO̓̽̓N͗TINUͦͧ̿E ͪCŌN͑͛̇̂̚TỈ͌́̐̂N͒ͯUͥ̃͗̄́̊̚E͒ ̃̑͛ͦ̍C͛ͧOͩN̍ͩ̑̉̈͌̓T̄́̆̔́I̿̔̽̿NU̐͑̓ͩͣͩE͐̍ͬ͂̃ͨ ̌ͨͦͦ̃ͮC̽Oͪ̈́̽̆̚N̂ͬͥT͋̑ͭ̒IN̎͌̂͂ͨ̃̈U̾̃͛ͩEͨͩ͑ͣ̍ ̔͑̄͋̒Cͤ͊Oͥ͊̇NTͧ͒̽͗̚INUͫ̾͆̑̿ͮË́̂́̎̉ͮͥ ̌̎̃̃ͣ̃Cͩͧ̀̍ON̆̓Tͮ̋͑͆͗̆ͫI͒ͫ̄ͥͤN̑̉ͬ̏ͮͭUEͣ̿̉͛ͣ̊ ͋C͆O̓ͨͬͯ̚ṄTİ̃̓NUͨͨ̆E̍͋ ͊ͭ̓Cͪ̈̋͌O͆̋͊̆͛NT͑̇͒ͥ̔̾Ïͨ̈Nͦ̽Uͩ͊̾̚E͆͗̽ ̒̌C̅̽͌̾O̅̿N̊̀̊T̍͂͆̇ͫ̉I̎̃̈́N͆̆ͤ͆̍͌UẺͫ͋ͣ̔ Cͦͤ͑͐̐̊O̽̊͋Nͭ͛͊Tͨ̌ͬ̈͆͊I̎̒̍͆͗̍ṄÛ̏̓̀E̊̊̍͑ͭ͒ ́̋͐̐̊C͌́̑̔̐O͌ͫͩ̂̍̂N̄̄ͫͩT̂ȈͦN͊ͤ̽ͫÜͦ̉ͦ̾̌E ͗CO̔ͮ̐̓͂̚N̅͋TͣĪ̉N̾ͬ̀̑Uͣ͊È̋̄̋̈́ ͩ̽͐ͯ̈̇͒C͌OͯN͛̔̒̔̌̐̚T̐͋̅ͮ̓Ỉ̾̂̉̚Ńͥ̎̆̄U͋̾̉̒ͬ̽͑E̎̑̄̊ͣ̃ ̄COͩN̆̈̔͂T͗̓̐̉ͬ̏Iͬ̈́ͮN͂͗UͫĖ͆ͭͣ C̏̏͑ͣOͬ͑̂̆̇̔͆N͛̓ͭT̅ͣͧ̊Ḯͬ͛ͤ̓̚N̉̓U̽̊Eͣ̃͆ͧ̊̀̆ ̌Cͨͨͯ̈́O̿͆ͯ̍ͭ̾̚N͗ͨ͆͛̀T̎͂ͮ̃ͣ̑ͭIN͛̔̿ͣͧ͊͆U̓͌ͫ̐̇Eͤ̈ͦͯ͊̉̏ ͑̏Cͣ͒ͥ̎O͒̽͂̿̒NT̅I͗̅̿͛̐̈̚NͪÚͦ͂ͭE̽ͦͮ̆ ̓͊̉̄̒ͥC͛͗ͦÕ̽͌NTͦ̋̅̓̊IͥͧN͐̓̑̄ͮȔ̃E͌͒ͦͦ̈́ ̔̓͒̾̀̌C̔̿̇̚Ō͒̓N͑̄̈͑̓̚T̆̈́Iͩ̏Nͮ͑̓̒Uͥ͂̃̇́̆E̅ͨ̌̇͌͛ ͩ̾Cͨ̊̂̅̄̑̄OͦN͐́T̎͆̈́̂̊͑INͭ́͂̉̂̇́U͛ͪE̒ CONͩT͆̉Iͩ͛̎̈̉N͋̈U̐ͤ̄͐E͊͑ ̈̆̏̃̊̒̃C̿̍̋͗O̅̆N̈́̍ͬ̓̚̚T̒̏͂Ï̌͗N͛͛ͤ̐̎́ͭUÈ͗̈́ͫ̅͌̄ ́̒C̓̈̽̀ͬON̿͌͛̽ͪ̈́Tͬ̔̿İ͊͊̎Ǹ̔͋̉ͥ̽U͑͂̃ͤ̔Eͬ̚ ̋̊̎̄̀C͗̅͌̊̂ONͯ̌TͯI͂͒̃͗ͦN̅̇̄̾U̽͛Eͬ͗̔ ̇̔͋ͨCͩ͑̍̾͌Ȏͯͦ͒ͨŇ̓̅̎̃̿̊T͋ͦͦ̄ͤͩİͩ̃̇̉͐ǸU̓̉̈́͑͂̎E ͗ͬ̓ͮC͑O͊ͦN̓̈́̽̉̍T̎ͣͥIͨͫ̃N͆U̎̅Eͦ̆̔̏͂͐͆ ̔͒ͩC͊̽ͭŌNͬ̆͂T̈ͩ̽̆͗͐͛Iͥͫ̒NU̎̿̈̓E͋͐̏̑̽͌͋ ͦ͗̔͐̚C͒ͥ̄̔ǑͮN͒ͣ̈́T́̒ͭͧ̃Ĭ̉Ṅ̈ͮUͮ͑̚E͂ͫ ́CͨͪO͂ͨͫ̆ͮ̏Nͫ̊T̓͗̍̄̚Iͮ͛̿͊̽̓̈́N͗͑͒̒̒̾UE ̇̐̊͂COͭ̌ͩ̎̾NͪT͋̈́́ͬ̎͌́I͆̃ͦ̂̚̚N̓͗ͦUͦ̓ͪE̒̔ͮͪ ̋ͣ͒C̀͆͊O͋̐̓ͭNT̽̎̿̇IN͊̃̎ͤͨ̓̒Üͣ̈́ͫ̾E ͥ̽̃̅̅ͫ̑Cͮ̂̏ͦͤͩOͥ̓̏̄̍ͭNͭ͋̓Tͤ̃̆̇IͭN̐͐UE ͂̿͑ͮ̊ͥ̚Cͬ̑̐̋ͮͤͧO͒ͭNͨ̌̇Ťͬͫ̚Iͬ̎̏N̈͛̒ͪUͭ͑̎̂È ̅̀ͧ͂̃̽C͐ͧͪ̀̓Oͯ̅ͮN̑̓ͬTIͯͮN̉ͧÜ̏̐E̎ͪ͛̍͐ͣ

She had lost count. She had reached the pinnacle of the lost. She could not keep them straight anymore. Everytime she tried something different. Everytime she tried to surprise him hoping for a different outcome but no. He knew. He always knew and he was always a step or two ahead of her. How long would this continue? How long would she had to endure such agony? It was like a sick game. A game where the awareness of the players only ended in more tragedy. How many times had her blood run the snow crimson? How many times had she felt her muscles, tendons, and nerves ripped apart piece by piece? It was cruelty unlike anything she had witnessed before and though the tears clawed at her eyes she refused any such confrontation. She did not want to fight. She was not going to fight. She should have given up a long time ago and yet she couldn't.

She knew now for certain that Sans' knowledge was that of her own. He remembered each and every encounter that they had. Every line that she uttered he would mockingly repeat back to her. He even sometimes joked about how he should have made the death quicker and less painful. That of course was followed by a laugh. This last time, however, he seemed to be growing tired. It was not a physical fatigue but more of an insatiable boredom. So many resets ago she remembered him saying that he did not care. Maybe this was why. She would only have to conclude that he was also reset when she was killed by Toriel as well. Everyone else around him would think nothing of it but he knew something was wrong. She didn't even have to set foot on the path for him to know. She had died so many times that eventually she left Flowey by The Ruins door without his knowledge. He scolded her again and again but she wanted to spare him of the ways she had been viciously maimed. Now she lay within the darkness just as she had so many times before. A lone hand reached for the panel one last time.

If Frisk had anything to hold onto it was hope. At this point other than Flowey that was her only savior. Inch by inch her spirit had waned. What had once been a perilous obstacle had become a depressing walk to the gallows. She was not sure how much longer she could continue onward like this. She was hit with a new sensation as she slowly made her way to the panel. She was on her hands and knees crawling to another uncertainty. Even with a reset, her energy was also replenished but her emotional state was not. If ignorance was truly bliss then Frisk knew that all too well. She would never know she was making progress or that her mistakes would have cost her dearly but at least she would not have to remember the ways in which she left this world. They had started to blur together after a period of time. Her hand shakily hovered over the button. How many times had she pressed this? It did not matter. What mattered was the present and how she would be handling her current situation. There was but a single phrase that appeared within her mind as she closed her eyes only to open them to a grey landscape once more.

 _Never Give Up_

Frisk leaned against the austere purple door that led to what remained of the monster capital. Out of all the times that she had attempted to get past the sentry she always had taken a step forward. Never had she just waited. She came to the conclusion that perhaps it was due to show. It was unclear whether or not the skeleton wanted her to know of his ability to remember. He acted as if every time she preemptively made an action that would contradict his own as a kind of joke. This time she would wait. The last few times did not help in the least considering she was always backed into a corner. This time around she would not put herself in such a position. She had never read it but there was a book that she had heard about that talked about the strategies behind the conflict. It was called the Art of war. A book that explained in depth a series of combat advantages in a philosophical setting. One that was commonplace was the idea that you needed to gain higher ground or in her case a more suitable environment. If she had restricted movement then she was at a disadvantage.

How many times did he have to do this!? He stormed off to meet her again not even giving a damn about his facade. There she was and yet she just smiled at him AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. Every death. Every single brutal time he ran her through, vaporized her, or worse. Her kind soul would reach out to him to try and get him to sympathize with her. He was eventually worn down. This was not working. Every time she died everything was reset.

These thoughts persisted before she was brought back to the situation at hand by a specific golden companion. He had risen from his place within her pack to look up at her. If it were not for the expression plastered across his face she would have found him cute. His eyebrows were furrowed sourly with his arms crossed. She didn't even have to hear what he was going to say in order for her to know exactly what he wanted to say. He was clearly upset by her consistently leaving him behind at the door. In a way, she could see how he might view it as abandonment. That was not her intention in the slightest as he already knew but what was Flowey's personality other than feisty and irritable? She attempted a gentle smile but it was in vain. All he did was shift his body to the side and looked away, "Flowey I am sorry I just couldn-" She was cut off by an irritated huff "Yeah, yeah, I know you want to spare me of that but Frisk I am here with you! Don't you know I have been worried sick every time!? How hard it is for me to stay on the sidelines!?"

Frisk's head was downturn as she stared at her snow-covered boots. Had she been selfish in her thoughts? Had she unknowingly done this all for herself? The question was not possible for her to answer truthfully but she so desperately wanted to hold him close. If sparing one of pain was selfish then she had to remedy such actions. Instead of speaking she just clutched the bag closer to herself before walking forward. She would progress down the path with Flowey completely visible, something she had not done the many many MANY resets prior.

As she made her way down the stretch of path she came to a stop. There was no use thinking that Sans was not around the nearest corner so she just stood there. Flowey's head was whipping back and forth looking around frantically for any sign of the predator that lay in wait. Frisk, on the other hand, was the most calm and collected that she had ever been. It was most likely due to the monotony of it all. When one experiences the same event over and over again it can only end up feeling bland. That sense of the unknown extinguished from the natural process of life. Flowey's nervous energy did not have any effect on her. Even the cold no longer bothered her or bit into her skin as it had done before. It was in one word, boring. She now understood what he had meant about not caring. He probably felt the same way, even more so now that the number of times she had walked down this path eluded her grasp.

 _*Don't you see now? Don't you understand? Why do you do this to_ yourself? _All you have to do is fight back. Fight back so you won't die!_

Flowey looked up at her inquisitively, "Frisk is something wrong?" He had a nervous look about him as his eyes darted from side to side still on high alert but attempting to keep his attention on the halted human girl. His knowledge of the situation only extended to a certain point. She doubted that he would have been counting this entire time. All she could do was shake her head to assuage his constant nervous energy. She replied softly as if her voice was slowly leaving her, "Nothing is wrong. I know what is going to happen." A silence hung between the two for what felt like a solid couple of minutes. The voice within her head continued to repeat its plea of fighting back to prevent her death. She continued to ignore it but the voice only grew louder. She stared lifelessly at the ground below as flakes of snow fell from the sky. Her voice was clipped and quiet, "I no longer want to play games." Whether she directed the comment to the ever-lurking Sans, to herself, or to Flowey. It did not matter.

Flowey looked up at her curiously with concern falling over his features. This could not have been easy on her. He truly did not know what had happened and in a lot of ways, he was glad that he was oblivious to the torture that she was put through. No matter the circumstances however she kept moving forward as difficult as it was. He climbed out of the safety of her satchel and dropped to the floor behind her, "Frisk I am really proud of you. You never give up." He was not quite sure why he said something so positive in such a negative time but he knew that she needed to hear it. They were friends and always would be, "I got your back Frisk no matter what. We are friends right?"

She turned to face him and smiled sadly, "Of course we are Flowey I have never thought otherwise." There was a waver within her voice as she stood there with him. They had come to an understanding and close friendship so quickly. Then again it was not as quick as one might believe since time was not a factor for her and her flower friend. He was someone that she could finally trust and someone who would always be there by her side.

Sans had been lurking behind one of the nearby trees. Instead of meeting her by the gate as he had many resets prior. That's when he saw Flowey and the arms folded over his chest fell to their sides. It only brought back memories. She was friends with the weed. Not for long. Instead of making his presence known as he did so many times he appeared in front of the pair. He had not expended this much magic energy in a while good thing it was near limitless, "Well look at what we got ere." As usual, he had that wicked smile on his face as he crushed the golden flower with his shoe. When he looked up the human looked distraught and in absolute mortified shock. He was used to the expression by now as he moved his foot. All that was left was a piece of a torn golden petal laying limply in the snow.

No. This was not happening. She had been with him since the beginning. He had comforted her, warned her, and became her friend. The moment he showed himself he was gone, crushed underneath a cruel shoe. She felt as though her emotional response was shattered. All the things she had just thought and said went blank. Her voice had become suddenly raw, unable to comprehend the horror before her. Her friend, the monster that had faith in her, the monster that had promised to stay at her side. The only word she could whisper in a wavering voice on the verge of tears was her former golden companions name. She was now alone and utterly helpless. Her eyes found her feet as she stared into the abyss of her mind. It was a loss that chipped away at her heart.

Sans was not just going to sit here and watch her cry over the stupid flower. He grabbed her and held her against the barrier just as he had so many damn times. This time his grip was a lot looser and dare he say gentler? She looked empty inside even her eyes looked lifeless. Only when he forced her to look at him did that bright hue of blue return. The look of hurt on her face, the anger and yet she didn't act on it. He was not going to do this song and dance anymore. His mouth was in a tight line, "Think ya can just reset tha whole thing doll? Gettin real tired of havin ta wash this jacket but killin ya doesn seem ta work does it? It's gettin borin so yer comin with me."

She was torn from her grief only to be forcefully held against the barrier she had perished at so many times before. This time she did not say anything. All she could do was stare at the piece of what remain of a lone golden petal crushed within the snow. She felt empty on the inside. All he had done was stand up for her and try to convince this skeleton of her intentions. He did not deserve such a horrible end. She felt helpless unable to do anything as she just watched. His words caught her off guard. How many times had they been through this same song and dance? Now he was getting just as bored as she was. Flowey would tell her to keep moving forward for his sake and that was exactly what she was going to do. Her promise to her friend only fueled her further, "You're bored so you are letting me go to see how this all plays out?" She could hardly believe what was coming out of his mouth. She supposed that he knew that there really were no ramifications on her continuing her journey. Not to him anyway. He wanted the cycle to stop just as much as she did. It only made sense. He still had her in his grasp but in the blink of an eye, they were both on the other side of the gate. She blinked a few times unable to take in her new surroundings, now released from a rather harsh skeletal grip.

She was finally moving forward ...

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛9̄̄҉̼̲͓̳̙̥t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

End of Entry...


	13. The Boss and His Lackey?

Summary:

Frisk has "passed" Sans sentry no thanks to the moody murderous skeleton. A friend has been lost... and a Guard will appear~ NYEHAHAHAHA!

{DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains NOTHING bad whatsoever just fluff. Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

 **Welcome to the Underworld**  
{Log 2: Snowdin  
Entry 2: The Boss and His Lackey?}

The other side of the gate left her standing on a more defined path. Sans was still behind her though he had released her from his grip he still had his hand on her back. She never thought the day would come that she would witness the world beyond the slated bars of her gilded cage. She did not even question the curious way in which such a method came about. She was also uneasy with the fact that Sans still had his close watch on her as she took a step forward. She was half expecting this to be some kind of a trap, just another way for him to give her hope then cut it short. He just silently followed behind her it would seem.

They had walked a fair distance from the gate by now only to stand in the middle of what appeared to be a station of some kind. Ever since she had crossed the threshold of the gate the path was now clearly defined in a blue-grey dirt underneath her boots. It was nice to have a more definitive path to follow from now on. Those thoughts aside she noticed an oddly shaped lamp or rather what was left of it. Its base was a deep navy blue that looked deformed. The lamp shade itself also looked as though it had been smashed in by something for no apparent reason and was a teal color. If she had been a child, she might have had the opportunity to hide behind it.

To her left was a little stand made entirely out of a deep cherry wood. It was the same type that had been used to decorate the halls of Toriel's home. It must have been sourced from the trees that surrounded this forest. The same ones that seemed to try and reach a sky that did not exist. It also had a few planks here and there of a lighter color of wood. The roof of the stand was covered in a thick layer of snow that periodically fell due to the sheer mass of white powder. She could tell from where she was standing that there were a few items on the counter a cigar for one and a few mustard bottles that peeked up from the shelves within. She wondered what its purpose was. Sans' words from before had started to fill in the pieces. He had said his job was to watch for humans and such an outpost would come in handy for that. If anything, it was most likely a sentry station of some kind. She watched the end of the cigar strange maroon smolder for a moment before her thoughts turned back to the situation at hand. That's when she realized that she had to do something ridiculous to save the life of her flower friend.

The only way to save Flowey was to reset once more. If she did that then everything would go back to before Sans had brutally stepped on the poor monster. She had felt so numb at that moment but now she had to try. She spun around on her heel after a few more steps forward to face him. His posture was relaxed as he kept his one hand in his pocket, the other now rested on her shoulder. After a few moments, he returned that hand into his other pocket as he stared at her. She half expected a sneer or a growl but in all honesty, he just looked relaxed and perhaps a little bored. What could have been called his eyes, she considered them to be more along the lines of eye lights, seemed to be duller in color. They also seemed to change depending on his current emotion. They currently seemed mildly half-lidded as he looked at her as if to silently ask 'what' without uttering a word.

Sans had decided much to his dismay that the only way to get through this treadmill from Hell was to get the human to their goal. The more she perished the longer he would have to relive the same day over and over again. She was now staring at him as he removed his hand from her shoulder to just look at her with a look of boredom plastered on his face. At least from her perspective, it may have looked that way but the reality of it was that he was tired of it all. His expression changed as he fell back into his usual personality. He smirked at her with eyes still half-lidded,"Ya keep starin' at me like dat kitten it's liable ta make a fella think you were… Int.. 'em.."

All she could do was shake her head as she clenched her fists at her sides. Now was no time for jokes. He had finally let her past him and she was about to jeopardize all that she had worked for. Is this what he would have wanted? No, she wanted him back. Her mouth somehow formed the words that she never believed she would utter in her entire life especially not after all she had been through, "Kill me…. please…If you do he can come back!" The tears that she had not been able to shed before began to form at the corners of her eyes. One by one they fell down her cheeks only to be met with the bitter cold. Now she was begging him to kill her? This was becoming even more complicated.

Sans raised a brow bone at her words, "The fuck? Kitten you gotta fuckin death wish? I thought ya didn't wanna die." The tone of his voice was just as icy as the air that surrounded them. He just looked at her as the tears fell from her eyes. Damn for a human she sure was not living up to the usual ruthless reputation. He wasn't going to kill her probably to her surprise since it would be FUCKING pointless. The weed meant that much to her? She did not even know him for very long.

Frisk did not care what he was saying. All she wanted was Flowey back with her and she would give up her progress to reach that end. She was ready for it too. She knew that even in his confusion Sans would do it out of spite. That is just the kind of individual she was getting to know and after so many times he had killed her with that shark-toothed grin on his face it wouldn't be a problem. The bones that materialized to surround her with a snap of his finger caused her to flinch but only for a moment. It was an instinctual reaction to the situation. She closed her eyes and waited but nothing happened. The attack was still aimed right for her sure but the skeleton in front of her looked nervous. It was difficult to tell. She had not seen a wide range of emotion from him. His eye lights flicked back and forth before she too heard something from behind her. It was in the distance but the distinct sound of snow crunching beneath shoes was undeniable and it was drawing closer. Her head turned to see who was coming her way before she watched the attack crumble. In the split second that she had time to turn back around she saw two skeletal hands reach from behind her and grab a hold of her causing her to fall backward. Her back crashed into a ribcage. Sans had grabbed her? Why?

Just out of sheer spite he decided to play around with her a little bit. He raised one of his hands and materialized a row of bone-like spear projectiles. They made an arch above his head as he looked at her with the same expression as before, "If that's really what ya wa-" He was cut off by a familiar sound. Someone was coming this way and she had no idea who it was, but he did. The attack faded away causing him to pull his other hand out of his pocket. As she turned her back to him, stupid girl. His hands reached for her and grabbed a hold of her. Just like when he had killed her the second time he held her there with his arms wrapped around her before teleporting away. He quickly tossed her under the sentry station counter. If Boss saw her not only would he be in trouble, but he would have to do this whole goddamn thing over again. He could already hear his voice.

A tall figure began to approach as he mumbled with a harsh and gruff voice that resembled a saw biting down on steel, "LET US CHECK UP ON A CERTAIN SENTRY. HE BETTER BE AT HIS POST OR SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE GIVING A CERTAIN VICIOUS FELINE EXTRA ATTENTION. NOW WON'T HE DOOMFANGER?" The crunching of boots rang through the forest as the rather tall individual began to make his way past brilliantly constructed puzzle and brilliantly constructed puzzle. His footsteps appeared to weigh extra as they sank deeper into the snow. The insides had been reinforced with metal which added a little crunch to his kicks in close combat if he ever saw fit to give a boot to his enemies. The skeleton also happened to be clad in his own chest armor grim in its coloration of obsidian, scarlet, and gold. It only added to the rather frightening skeletal face that he bore. A snow-furred feline that was fluffed up and groomed very well trailed behind his metal-clad boot prints. The fluffy white cat, now known as Doomfanger looked curiously at the buckles of her master's boots as if she was going to attack the jingling metal playfully. The hair on her tail puffed up gently at the mention of the subject of the skeleton's rambling. He bellowed out in a rather gruff exclamation, "SANS, REPORT! IMMEDIATELY."

In the blink of any eye just like before the snowy setting of the station and the forest around them warped. She was now under something. The change of scenery was minimal as she would still feel the cold and see the snow off to her left. The other thing that she had noticed was the pair of skeletal legs right beside her. She curiously peeked her head up to see Sans leaning with his elbow on the counter. Was she under the sentry station? Why on earth would he grab her and hide her here? She opened her mouth to object to the unwelcome grab before she heard the footsteps from before walk up to the station and stop abruptly. She hid in her little cubby only listening to what was unfolding right next to her. She heard Sans speak first his baritone voice distinct in a nonchalant tone.

She could not see the second speaker, but his voice was scratchy almost as if some kind of cartoon character had swallowed a cheese grater and yet continued to speak. It was a little unsettling but at least their voice was distinct just like Sans was. It was easy to tell the two apart. She could not see what was going on above her, but she could only imagine. The conversation would enlighten her more to who this second monster may be.

Sans eye lights flicked downward to look at her confused expression only nudging her harshly with his shoe to signal her to stay quiet. Any small noise would cause his brother to investigate and that would spell the end for her, "Boss…" His voice was relaxed with a hint of curiosity marring his tone. He just gave his brother a lackadaisical grin before putting his feet up in the counter and picking up the cigar he had left there before. He leaned back in his chair as he usually did and placed the cigar between his teeth. He looked like he didn't have a care in world which was the exact opposite of the truth. After a few moments, he just shrugged his shoulders, "Ain't got nothin ta report Boss. Nothin happenin round here it's been quiet. Ya talk ta Undyne bout it? Maybe Alph's camera are screwy an shit." A lie obviously.

The new speaker known as Boss by Sans stopped in his tracks. It was always a surprise to see his brother actually being awake and on duty, "I WILL BE HONEST SANS, YOU HAVE ME APPLAUDING YOUR DEDICATION TO YOUR WORK." The remark was rather sarcastic in tone, "BUT THEN AGAIN, I COULD ALSO ASSUME YOU HAVE ALREADY MADE YOUR WAY TO THAT SORRY EXCUSE FOR AN ESTABLISHMENT YOU AND THE REST OF THE GUARDSMEN CRAWL TO WHEN I HAVE MY BACK TURNED. FOR NOW, I SHALL LEAVE SUCH INQUIRIES ON YOUR RATHER EGREGIOUS IRRESPONSIBILITY TO THE SIDE...THAT IS UNLESS YOU GIVE ME A MORE PROPER REPORT." The skeleton's brow was raised as he spoke walking toward the station, his arms crossed over his chest, and glare searing into his brother's eye sockets. His body language alone was intimidating not to mention his crimson eyed stare.

Sans was used to this kind of treatment, but he was really not in the mood for it right now. He removed the cigar from his mouth and ground it into the dish right next to him. His seemingly gold-plated grin pulled down into a tight line eyebrow bones furrowed in irritation, "Yeah? That's what ya think. No been out ere all damn day watchin nothin but tha fuckin snowfall." He just laughed mockingly and took his feet off the counter just glaring at his older brother angrily. His patience, or lack thereof, was wearing dangerously thin.

Papyrus took a moment to look at his brother, a thoughtful and critical look housed in his eye sockets. The expression that Sans wore was that of someone who is feeling agitated and attacked. Papyrus, being a master tactician, knew these kinds of expressions well as he had seen it with his inferiors. He saw it from those who were under his chain of command when they tried to hide their guilt. He did not have to press too hard to receive the answers he was searching for though interrogation worked poorly on his brother, "THEN PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT ALPHYS CAMERAS SPOTTED FROM THE GATE EXITING THE RUINS. SHE SPOTTED AND CONFIRMED THE SIGHTING OF A HUMAN, AND IF YOU WERE HERE, SURELY, THAT WOULD HAVE AWOKEN YOU OR PUT YOU ON ALERT. YOU KNOW HOW OUR SYSTEM WORKS...AND MORE IMPORTANTLY...NOT TO UNDERESTIMATE MY SOURCES SANS!" Papyrus stomped at the earth and part of their surroundings turned into a field of bones that sprung up from the ground in spear-like points.

Sans raised his eyebrow bone still with a look of frustration ever growing on his skeletal face. His brother was not stupid by a long shot. Papyrus was in fact the head of the Royal Guard for a reason it was not just through sheer brutality alone. His cunning and tactical mind made it so that he could best any foe before he even had to lift one boney phalange. The shorter of the two growled lightly between serrated shark-like teeth, "Ya think I'm lyin? I've been on alert tha whole afternoon and not once has a human come by. I don't underestimate yer sources Pap... just sayin maybe Alphy got a glitch er somethin in their system. That shits ancient bro. If I see a human I'll be tha first ta put it down er bring it ta ya. So get off my back, alright?" He sighed as his expression changed to be more relaxed.

Papyrus adjusted his scarf around his neck with the look in his eyes still blazing a bright ruby. His temper, though not to the untrained eye, was still very much controlled. He hardly had any reason to go berserk that is until that day when he and his brother were much younger, "ALPHYS EQUIPMENT HARDLY HAS HARDLY EVER FAILED TO SERVE US WELL IN THE PAST. YOU DO MAKE A POINT THAT THESE GADGETS OF HERS HAVE BEEN...FINICKY." Papyrus picked a bone spear from the ground and inspected it, then shoved it down into the ground once more as if he was bored, "VERY WELL, I SHALL TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT." He was hesitant as it was his last attempt to witness any reactions that would give away his brother's guilt. He trusted Sans and yet something ate at him. If he was really on his guard for the human, then he should have seen in real time what the Royal Scientist had called him to confirm. It was his last chance to tell him the truth. The appearance of the human had the rest of the monsters in a panic. He had a lot of pressure placed on his rather spiky shoulders that did, at times, get to him.

It was quite clear from the conversation that the two had some history. That was the moment that the information pieced itself together in her mind to create a completed picture. The one with the intimidating voice must have been the brother that Sans had mentioned before. The one he had used multiple times as a way to deter her from coming back, a tactic which obviously had failed. He was the human hunting fanatic. That only raised more questions in her mind. If this really was the skeletons brother, then why did he grab her and hide her from him? It was surely not out of pity that was most certainly not his style. Could it have been due to their nearly infinite game of cat and mouse? He knew that she would just come back if his brother killed her so why even bother going through unnecessary work?

Papyrus's eyes were glowing more ferociously than usual when he turned around, "SANS I KNOW YOU BETTER THAN ANYONE DO YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE SUCH AN OUTRAGEOUS LIE? WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE FOOLING BROTHER?! DO NOT THINK THAT YOU ARE OFF THE HOOK JUST LIKE THAT. I EXPECT RESULTS!" Papyrus slammed both his hands on the table of the sentry station, "IT'S NOT ENOUGH THAT YOU ARE HERE, REMEMBER THAT AT ANY MOMENT, ANYTHING, WHETHER MONSTER OR HUMAN CAN MOVE AROUND THE VARIOUS BLINDSPOTS UNACCOUNTED FOR. I EXPECT YOU TO FIND THE OTHER ROUTES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED." Papyrus summoned a spear-shaped bone and slammed it down into the sentry, as counter erupted in a shower of wooden flecks.

Sans watched the spear go right through the counter and froze for a second. When he felt the human at his feet tense until he relaxed. Damn it if she dies. He continued his threatening air of rage, "Look Boss I've been out ere all fucking day. Don't care what Alph said I ain't seen no human. Tell her ta fix that damn surveillance system! No human. No report." He pulled the spear out the wood and tossed it back at his brother who caught it effortlessly. He could feel her shaking and holding onto his leg again. He wanted to sigh but his brother was glaring at him. This time he didn't shove her away. His tone changed to one with a mild hint of concern when he immediately switched the subject, "Boss ya take care of that wound ya got from Undyne..." It sounded like a statement, but it was a question of the physical state of his brother. He knew the Papyrus from before was still in there somewhere regardless of his mood swings.

Papyrus expression showed no signs that he was processing the question, especially when his eyes were like embers smoldering in the pits of his sockets. It was a sign that the DETERMINATION in his very system consuming the ability he had to care for anything but the task at hand. At the last minute, however, his thought process unwound and his actual side re-surfaced, "THERE IS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT WITH SUCH THINGS. NO WOUND HAS EVER STOPPED ME BEFORE. I HAVE TAKEN CARE OF MYSELF JUST FINE. WE ARE UNDER ORDERS FROM THE KING, AND BECAUSE OF ALL THE BENEFITS WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN WE HAVE GREATER RESPONSIBILITIES TO UPHOLD. IT IS A BURDEN THAT I, THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS, UPHOLD. WHAT UNDYNE INFLICTED UPON ME MATTERS LITTLE. OUR INFLUENCE AND POWER WILL BE THE MOST FEARED IN THE UNDERWORLD. WHAT UNDYNE DOES IS OF…LITTLE RELEVANCE TO US." Papyrus may have sounded frightening and rather ruthless but that did not stop him from caring about his brother even if he gave him a hard time. His body language relaxed as he crossed his arms and closed his sockets with a sigh, "NOW…I WILL SEE YOU UP AHEAD. I WILL BE INSPECTING THE REST OF THE SENTRIES MAKE SURE YOU ARE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING, ESPECIALLY TAKING PRISONERS. His voice changed to reflect a kind of joy in its rather growly nature, "WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE THESE PUZZLES AND TRAPS."

In reality, he could only think about the brother he grew up with. The two were so different but there were small glimpses of the skeleton he was before, "Just lookin out fer ma bro." They were still as close as they could be in a world where just caring about anyone was a weakness. Sans voice lowered softly, "Don't wear yerself out Pap." He watched Boss leave with a fluffy white cat close at his heels only to sigh softly looking exhausted and a little sad. What a life. He placed his hand over his face before peering between his fingers down at Frisk, "Ya can come out now…. he's gone."He just closed his eyes sockets with his arm draped over his face.

Frisk's mind returned to focus on the conversation the two were having. It appeared to become angrier in tone as she heard the splintering of wood. A spiked bone embedded itself in the counter just above her collarbone. The tip of it had drawn a thin line of blood that pooled and spilled to stain the garment above it. It was a good thing that she was wearing a red sweater. She had to clasp her hands over her mouth in an effort to not utter a single sound. One false move and her hiding spot would be ripped to shreds and inevitably so would she. She tried to move out of the path of the magic osteo spear only to end up curling closer to Sans leg. Her head was practically resting on his knee at this point. In which case she received a slight nudge from one of his shoes in warning. All she could hear at this point was the irritation in the voice of the other before she heard him walk away. After a few moments of silently listening to receding footsteps, she sighed in relief. So that was Sans older brother, Boss.

Frisk leaned her head out of her hiding spot to take a look at him. She was not used to seeing him with more expression or emotion. Just like anyone Sans had his own problems and by the look on his face he looked to be a combination of irritated and sad. She had figured out that these were the two brothers but Boss, as she had heard before, was not exactly the brotherly type. He appeared to treat Sans like some kind of henchman rather than kin. She would have given anything for a sibling to spend time with but not like that. The involuntary response to comfort him just rose from her once feeble voice, "Sans are you alright?" Her sudden question must have startled him because his eye lights flicked down to look at her out of the corner of his socket when he removed his arm. He did not look all that happy especially since she had been eavesdropping to some degree. She honestly had no choice in the matter.

She watched as he pushed his chair out of the way to let her climb out into the open snowy air again. A shudder shook her due to the sudden breach of temperature. She looked back toward him as he leaned his head on his folded arms. It did not appear that her plea from before had any significance now. She walked around the station only to stand in front of him. There was a question nagging at the back of her mind as he looked at her with a bored expression on his face, "Why did you hide me?" There it was. The question that she needed to have an answer for. It just did not make sense to her. Why would you kill someone over and over but prevent their death suddenly on this go around?

Sans did not look like he was in the mood to do anything let alone talk about his reasoning behind letting her live after so many times that he didn't. An additional exasperated sigh slipped through his shark-like maw, "Cause I'm tired of everythin repeatin all tha time. If tha Boss found ya id be stuck with ya again. Don't think yer special doll." He did not really know why he gave her so many pet names, but they just slipped from his mouth without thinking. It was his way to mock her. I mean how old was this human 14? She sure looked young like a kid but he knew she was an adult. He decided to put his legs up again and lean back with his hands behind his head lazily. She looked like she was going to cry or yell again, "Look kitten if I don't keep an eye socket out fer ya ain't gonna last long so wipe that expression off yer face an be grateful."

The response did not shock her, but she did stand silent in the flurry of snow. The forest that surrounded them seemed a little less bleak than before. That was when she became a little bit bolder, "You know… you shouldn't listen so much to your brother Sans. He doesn't understand what you have had to go through. I don't think he is right at all. I know I don't know much about you two but...well…I've seen what you're capable of." Frisk was not exactly sure why she was saying these things. It might have had to do with her naive kindness or just her desire for friendship. Either way, she could not take the words back now as she stood with her head slightly tilted. She noticed that his expression changed before he stood up with his eye sockets closed. She did not understand how it was possible, but his eyebrow bone was furrowing? She was not sure if that was a good or a bad sign. She quickly resorted to some kind of recovery tactic, "I... I'm sorry it's not my place to say anything I just wanted to help."

When he stood and opened his eye sockets to look at her they were dangerously vibrant. Why the hell did she even care about his relationship with his brother? What was worse was that she was acting as if she cared about him too. What the hell was wrong with this girl? The lights within his eyes died down in intensity, "Yer right it ain't yer place. Look doll I ain't tha warm fuzzy feely type ya got it? Boss and I ain't tha worse yer goin ta encounter here. Ya can't just bat yer pretty lashes at us an think we'll just let ya go. Ya die. Ye reset. I'm sick of wakin up ta tha same shit so were goin ta makea deal kitten. I'm lettin ya go and ya do...whatever tha hell you're here for so this can end. Permanently." He said the last bit almost like a threat.

She had clearly stepped over a line yet again, but she just nodded to his terms. At least he was not yelling at her. She was starting to wonder if her good intentions would ever be received properly. A snap of his fingers and he was in front of her embedding his skeletal fingers into the collar of her turtleneck. She felt herself being forcefully dragged away from the sentry station the opposite direction from whence she came. She had her arms flailing about while she attempted to dig her heels into the snow. All her efforts were in vain as she continued to struggle with his grip. Everything had been fine up to that point so what was he going to do to her? She did not have a clue, but she honestly did not want to find out.

The once cold sea of trees that she had grown somewhat accustomed to faded into trees of a more natural origin. The pine trees stood out among their blanket of white with their snowcapped tops pointing upward toward a fictitious sky. The further he dragged her the more they appeared causing the once claustrophobic forest to feel more open and airy. The skeleton still had not uttered a single sentence. She could feel his cold bony fingers against the skin of her neck as he continued on his way. All she could do was try and loosen his grip to the best of her ability. She even protested and shouted a few times to try and get him to slow his pace but that did not work. Either she had said something to cause this or he was going back on their little deal. She was genuinely afraid of both scenarios.

Frisk was suddenly flung ahead and met with the shock from being abruptly tossed to land to be met with a crisp face of snow. At least it would have been freezing if her body had not adjusted and adapted to the frosty climate. She lifted her head only for her eyes to fill with a golden warm light. Her eyes widened at the anomaly only she could see. Why throw her in front of it? She raised herself up on her elbows only to look back at him. He had not moved an inch from the spot in which he flung her forward. His hands were shoved once again into the pockets of his jacket as he just stared down at her. His red eye lights never moved from her as he stood there being as imposing as possible.

Sans had drug her all the way to the star. Yes, he could see them. It had taken years under his…. circumstances to see the sparkles of light. He knew she could see them and unlike him, use them. His knowledge extended beyond what he was always letting on even in front of this strange yet stupid human girl, "Use it." He did not really have to elaborate his demands for her to understand exactly what he wanted her to do.

She refused if she let the power of the star flow through her and she perished once more then she would never have the chance to see Flowey ever again. His death would be irreversible even among the almost universe bending abilities she now possessed. Why did he want her to save so badly? He had now removed his hands from his pockets only to make few required strides toward her. She shook her head vigorously almost pleading for some kind of mercy she knew by now he did not possess, "Please don't make me do this!" She could feel her own vocal cords betray her anguish as one of the skeleton's teeth like treads came down on her back pinning her to the frosty ground. She whimpered but the impact was not enough to induce any pain.

Sans was not giving her an option. He removed his hands from the lining of his pockets using his crimson magic to grab her and pick her up. It surrounded her and forced her down in front of the sparkling anomaly. He released his hold on her until he placed his foot on the small of her back pinning her to the snow below. Her pleas were in vain as he leaned down over her to take a closer look at her face, "Got no choice doll." When she failed to comply with his demands he grabbed a hold of her wrist and pulled her arm forward to land on the star. There. Done. No more sitting at that damn station and no more weed.

Frisk continued to object trying to raise her body from underneath the minimal amount of pressure imposed upon her upper back. He was not going to let her go anywhere. She could just imagine the shark-toothed smirk that was curling up on his face. She was not going to do it and nothing he could say would change her mind. The chill of the Snowdin air was nothing in comparison to the shadow that loomed over her until it stepped aside. The pressure that was once on her back ceased to be as he stood beside her only to squat down next to her. She just stared at him in confusion. The smirk she expected was not on his face. The only thing there was a small frown as he forcefully grabbed her wrist. He did not ask questions. He did not hesitate. He yanked her hand forward to touch the glowing sparkle of light.

Frisk's eyes widened in horror as the golden light began to dim. Her body felt lighter and filled with a newfound energy, but she knew it was now a lost cause. Her friend was gone forever. The skeleton released her hand to let her fall into the snow beside it. Her fingers dug into the white powder in front of her as her entire body tensed. Her cobalt eyes stared into the ground but not a tear was shed like the frozen landscape that surrounded her she too had gone numb. She was not the only one that had known of the stars purpose. Not even Flowey had seen its bright golden glow but Sans did. He knew exactly what he was doing. Her voice whimpered out a faint, "Why?"

Sans watched the light fade just as her hand came in contact with it. No more being stuck at square one. He let her hand fall and stood upright, so he was no longer pinning her with the bottom of his heel. He heard her whimper a soul-crushing why "Why? Hahaha, doll that's rich ya think I care what happens ta ya? I'm a monster yer a useless human. Ya don't save we have ta do this whole song and dance all over again."

She never thought in her entire life that she would lose it like she was about to. His words bounced off her one by one. All she could think of was her anger that continued to bury the anguish she was now drowning in. She raised herself to meet him face to face. Her brain had completely gone on autopilot. She grabbed him by his jacket tightly with her eyes still shaded by her curtain of auburn hair, "Why...why would you force me to do this!? To lose someone I care about. To do something so CRUEL!?" She raised her head with her teeth gritted and her eyes threatening tears. She did not understand why he would do this. She sniffled as she let go of his jacket, any longer and she might not be standing there anymore.

Sans was surprised when her unbridled rage caused her to grab him by the collar yelling about his cruelty. So she did have at least an angry streak with that sweet smile. He couldn't help the suggestive smirk that twisted his grin, "Tha kittens got little claws." He could see the tears glistening within those soulful cobalt blue eyes. They were the brightest things he had ever seen, "Heh. Cruel. Doll yer in tha Underworld got no mercy here. We look out fer one thing an one thing only... us."

She had her head down as she turned her back to him in futile effort to hide her maelstrom of emotions. Her hand hovered over the star as a sweater laden arm came up to wipe her eyes. She stared at what was left of its light as she spoke, "So you can see it too?" She closed her eyes awaiting a response to a question that she already knew the answer to. The moments began to tick away before her irritation began to grow when there was no response from the skeleton. When her patience level reached rock bottom she spun around with her eyes still shut eyebrows twitching in irritation, "The least you could do is answer a simple question." Her eyes opened only to find that she was all alone, "S…. Sans?" Her head whipped around right and left in a desperate attempt to find the skeleton that had just taken the time to drag her all the way here. He was gone, and she was once again alone.

She did not know why but she felt colder than she had before. At first, she had been comforted by the fact that Flowey had been at her side the entire time and then, much to her dismay, Sans. Now she had no one as she trekked through this land as a human fugitive. The silence was near crippling as she forced her eyesight upward toward the path beyond. Out of habit, she lifted her hand to grasp at the knit fabric over her heart. She looked terribly sad and lost. She would have to keep her wits about her as she made her way through.

Her surroundings were different this time. The austere forest that was a sea of towering trees suddenly transformed into a more familiar winter foliage. A forest of evergreen trees dusted with snow lined the path onward. The stars warm yellow light illuminated some of the path she had begun to continue her journey on. The walkway was zigzagged in a few areas curiously. There was no purpose to the design and yet she followed the strange direction anyway. She found herself turning to her left up a straight path. She appreciated the change in scenery. The forest she had entered from was bleak and dark while the evergreens allowed for more light. She did not feel as trapped here as she had earlier. When she made it to the end of the pathway she stood before a large river. Just off to her right was a red fishing pole that was embedded within the frozen over ground. Its lure was still dipped within the water creating ripples as the current flowed freely. She debated whether or not to reel it in because someone must have left it here right? Against her usual better judgment, she pulled on the string only to pull up what looked to be a torn photograph from the rivers icy depths. The shiny film of the photo had been punctured by the fishing hook. Her hands dainty removed the item and took a closer look.

*It is a picture of a weird looking monster.

It was a picture of a monster but both sides of the picture had been torn off. He looked to be a scientist with a pair of rectangular glasses. She could have sworn that she also saw what looked to be a yellow arm on one side and a white lab coat covered arm holding a pair of distinct circular lensed blue glasses on the other. She could only imagine that someone really didn't want to have this photo seen by anyone. This time she decided that it would be best to press forward. She would have walked right past it had it not been for her spotting the metallic glint hiding among the base of a group of evergreens. When she approached it was nothing but a chest. It was brown in color and looked as though the wood it was comprised of was sealed with a glossy finish. On the front was a simple rectangular golden latch. It did not have a lock so she gently flipped the latch the took a look inside. What she found was an adorable blue bow and a nicely folded red and black scarf. She found it odd that such items would just be abandoned within a random box in the woods but she was cold enough now not to care. She wrapped the scarf around her neck and placed the bow within her hair.

*That scarf looks nice and toasty and there's a bow that's cute just like you. Maybe the monsters will take pity on you if you wear it. No one hurts a kid, right?

She felt a little better for some reason though the thought of a bow deterring a monster's wrath was rather comical to her. She knew better by now. That did not mean she would fight back but she was not also not going to be naive about it either. She found a note scratched into the bottom of the chest.

Only the one who puts an item in can take it out unless it's a gift. Check the other boxes. -sincerely a box lover

What an oddly cryptic thing to mention. She supposed that she could then leave any item within the box and be able to retrieve it again. She did not understand the final part about checking the other boxes though. That was just plain weird. Even though she was much too old to be wearing a hair bow she decided to use it anyway. Her journey only continued down the strangely randomly winding path. Just little ways away she spotted a wooden sign. The sound of crunching snow beneath her boots was making even walking somewhat of an unnerving and lonely endeavor. She still felt uncomfortable about being in the open where anyone could see her clearly but she had no choice as she approached the sign. It read in big red letters, "Beware of dog! Stay still. Sit." She was going to comment vocally about the odd sign when she heard some rustling from what she deduced was another sentry station. This one, however, looked very different from the one in which she had made her unfortunate encounter with Sans.

The station looked more put together. It had a nicely built roof with a carving of a dog face on it. That was an odd choice though the sign did mention something about a dog. She had stopped her progression only to hear another noise coming from the direction she was now looking. There was a little bell off to the side of the counter as well as a poster taped to one of the corners. It was yellow in color and had an image of a rather scary looking skeleton on it. All it said was Royal Guard on it and nothing else. The residents of the Underworld must have really looked up to this individual. The Royal Guard must have been a big deal down here. She was not going to question it. She could only assume that this was Papyrus, Sans older brother. The noises had subsided until they disappeared entirely signaling to her that she could press onward. As she took her steps to stand directing in front of the what looked to be abandoned station she froze in place only to end up staring into the eyes of a strange anthropomorphic dog. She kept entirely still not even breathing just as the sign had said.

Frisk had to admit that she had never seen this kind of dog before. She had read plenty of books about dogs and all the different kinds of breeds. She was pretty sure that anthropomorphic dogs did not fall under any of those categories. The canine had blueish black markings of what might have been the husky breed. The inside fluff of his ears was an off-white color just like the rest of his muzzle that continued down to his neck. It was cut off by a rust-colored bandana that had been torn in places but for the most part intact. Just hidden underneath a silver spiked choke collar. It just added to his more rugged appearance. A black vest showed off more white fluff and some white wrappings just below its ribcage. She could not tell anything below that since her line of sight had been impeded by the rest of the station. His arms had a bright silver spiked shoulder armor that just covered the "x" shaped scar on his right shoulder. On each side he had more armor adorning each forearm that wrapped around it in buckles to keep it attached firmly. The delta rune stood out engraved upon the metal shining in all its winged glory. On his right side, there was another set of bandages. Its arms were raised in a defensive stance with two knives gripped between human-like paws. It starred right at her with its muzzle pulled back in a menacing growl revealing a rather nasty set of serrated teeth sandwiching a smoldering smoking dog treat. Well, that certainly was a first. Its eyebrows were furrowed as one pale blue and one bright amber eye scanned the area. A deep threatening rumble erupted from its chest once more.

Frisk dared not move a single muscle as the canine scanned the area. She half expected to be riddled with knives but that did not happen. He was looking right at her so why did he not see her? Not that she was complaining of course. All she heard was a bellowed, "Identify yourself!" through gritted teeth. She was not about to introduce herself to the knife-wielding dog if she knew what was good for her. After a while of feeling like a human statue, the dog monster disappeared into the sentry station once more giving Frisk the opportunity to breathe again. This time she silently tiptoed past the station and made her way swiftly further down the path. Her entire body ached from having to stand so still for so long. She felt it was about time that she rested somewhere but she was not sure where that might be. She was still nowhere near any kind of town. That's when she remembered passing by an abandoned station just before the dog sentry. It was not abandoned in a delipidated way just that she did not see anyone there. That was the only place she felt she could take some shelter and rest.

This time she thought it would be wise to pass the station from behind as not to alert the guard again. She made her way to the currently abandoned outpost taking note of its craftsmanship and the seeming auspicious golden skull decoration hanging just in between the junction of the two roofs. She could only imagine who might have given their stamp of approval. It could have been Sans, but she doubted the skeleton would care enough to build something like this. Her only conclusion was that it had to be his brother since she remembered the poster from earlier. Whoever had made it she was going to use it for now. The desire to sleep washed over her cold weary body as she slipped through the opening of the station. If she pressed herself close enough to the front, then no one would be able to see her even if they peered inside. Her eyes slowly became heavy as she curled up in the corner closest to the counter. She was exhausted, and the feeling of loneliness was starting to physically take its toll. She was once again in a strange world with no one to speak to. The pain would have caused her to become emotional, but she was too tired. It did not take long for her to fall into sleep. Her last thought before sleep took her was that she hoped nobody would stumble upon her while she slept.

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛9̄̄҉̼̲͓̳̙̥t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

End of Entry...


	14. A Slip Up

Summary:

Frisk awakes under her hiding spot at the abandoned sentry. The Royal Guard roams these woods will Frisk be able to make it out in one piece or will she once again be stuck in an endless death loop?

{DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains NOTHING bad whatsoever just fluff. Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

 **Welcome to the Underworld** **  
**{Log 2: Snowdin

Entry 3: A Slip Up}

Frisk had been drifting for quite some time within dreamland. It was a strange one to be sure as she just sat in a pool of golden light surrounded but a familiar flower. They were everywhere that the eye could possibly see. Did she die permanently this time? Would she finally be able to gain some peace from the spiteful and cruel world that she knew? No answers were given as she sat quietly within the mysterious ethereal rays washing down upon her. Their soft petals were warm to the touch like mini suns that one could hold within the palm of their hand. There was something about his place that was otherworldly and serene. She was not sure that she wanted to leave its peaceful embrace. This truly must have been Nirvana as she lay upon the bed of sunshine gleaming flowers. The azure sky overhead stretched onward with white clouds like cotton candy spun into puffs. It was beautiful. A place that was untouched by the horrors of reality. A safe place within her that she could rest peacefully without fear or anxiety. Her eyes began to feel heavy as she stretched letting her head fall to the side. Her eyelids weary from her journey were unable to remain open before she heard a voice from afar. At first it was in the distance but it not only grew in volume but also grew and drew closer. Frisk Frisk Frisk Frisk Frisk Frisk Frisk Frisk Frisk FRISK !

Her eyes fluttered open to see a face that she did not want to see or expect to see in her dreams. His skeletal face was twisted in concern and panic? He shouted his pet name for her his voice dripping with a plea. That's when she was startled awake enough to smack her head forcefully on the counter of the abandoned sentry. Its wooden counter and walls were littered with vicious claw marks and splintered boards. This was something that she did not pay attention too of course due to the fuzziness of pain that was beginning to set into her skull. All she wanted to do was continue her journey as terrifying as the path may be. All the color she had once enjoyed was once again a bleak snowy landscape. She was back to reality if one could even accept that which she lived as reality anyway. Before she had so brutally whacked her head, heart racing, and limbs shaking she noticed something about the scene in which her mind had conjured. She remembered his face shrouded with an expression of heartbreak.

That was not like him at all. What a joke. Now her dreams were failing in their goal to give her respite. Why in the Underworld would she be seeing his skeletal mug in the first place? The longer she had looked at him with weary eyes the more she saw something she had never seen before, tears? What in the tap dancing flying universe was going on? He reached out to her but she couldn't seem to move her body any longer. He was looking at her as if she was dying in front of him all amongst a sea of golden petals. He would know he killed her more times then she could count but he looked as if his entire world had shattered when that one nickname passed his mouth. Yeah right. What a laughing stock. Why was it him in the first place. Why had she not dreamed about her flower friend? The one that actually cared for her. She wanted to laugh but settled for rubbing her now throbbing head.

Frisk could have sworn that she now probably had some kind of indent in her head after a hit like that. She should have been more concerned that it made a loud enough noise to alert anyone within distance that someone was hiding under the sentry. She was still in the same place she had drifted off so that was a good sign. She had not been spotted and killed while she rested just as she was afraid of prior to her jarring. Her hands came up to dig the palms into her eyes. She could not get the image that was burned into the backs of her eyelids out. The face he made. The heartbreak and anguish. Why would he have looked at her that way? It was driving her crazy. He was a terrifying golden toothed walking talking skeleton with a horrible temper and eyes that glowed a red that reminded her of her own spilled blood. She could not say that she hated the skeleton but she sure was scared enough of him. She shook her aching cranium from side to side rapidly in order to break her train of thought. She did not want to think about it anymore. EVER.

Her jumbled thoughts coalesced back to the mission at hand. She needed to make her way out of this seemingly never-ending sea of impossibly tall trees. The elder of the two brothers had offhandedly mentioned a bar and that usually meant that there had to be some sort of town nearby. No doubt the town the two lived. The name of said town, however, eluded her grasp. She had to admit to herself that a town would have been a nice place to stop by but with monsters wanting her head all the time it was also nerve-wracking. Not to mention there was one monster in this entire Underworld that could magically teleport at will and remember every little nuance if she perished. The very thought was a none too pleasant one but she pushed the shark-toothed grin that haunted her deep down into her subconscious. She half wanted to grab the jerk by the collar herself but that was highly ill-advised.

Her hands reached for the remnants of an already rather splintered wooden counter. A splinter from a wood chip would feel like a tickle at this point after the abysmal infinite suffering she had just been through. She was not even sure if time was of relevance sure. It was the next day from what she assumed but to her, it had been stars knows how long. How long had she actually spent trying to get by Sans? She would never be able to answer. She brushed a section of her auburn bangs out of the way before peering cautiously over the edge of the counter. She half expected a sentry to put a weapon through her face, stars when did she start to think so morbidly. There was nothing to be seen from her little vantage point save for the almost winter wonderland landscape of the woods. Frisk could not prove it but she imagined it might have been a scene that you might put on an old-fashioned Christmas card. The scent of evergreen and freshly fallen snow surrounded her as she leaned to peer out into the chilling air. The condensation of her breath formed cloud-like smoke as she breathed with nervous energy still there was no one coming to shish kabob her.

It was a shame really that the more she thought about it the more she found the place rather charming. She knew she had to continue but the story that Toriel had told her about the monsters was one that had stuck with her even after the events that had transpired within The Ruins. They had not always been so menacing, brutal, and cruel. It was a society built upon fear and retaliation. She condoned such a way of life but she also to some degree understood it. They just wanted to be free after the suffering that had been inflicted on them by humanity. On the opposite side of the coin, humans were fearful of the monsters that lurked in the dark going as far as to make them into the boogeyman and other scary works of fiction. If you would have told the young lady of this journey that she would be encountering talking flowers, skeletons, and goats she might not believe such tall tales either but here she was.

Frisk's reverie passed as she took one final look on both sides of her sentry hiding spot. The coast was completely clear though she had this bone-chilling feeling that would not always be the case. If she had learned anything about her short time falling into this world it was that nothing was as it appeared. She just would have to make more educated and clear judgments on the inhabitants of the Underworld. Not that she enjoyed judging people but at this point, it was a necessary survival tactic, with her hands already positioned on the wooden surface she hoisted herself up onto the counter. Her legs swung over the side to dangle outward toward the forest that lay in wait. She knew that she would have to pass that one sentry once again in order to progress the one with the dog like guard. It had not been much of an obstacle however she felt as though the last time she had gotten lucky on her encounter.

Her eyes slid closed as she gingerly pushed herself off of the counter to hear the satisfying crunch of her boots make contact with the snow below she made another look from side to side to make sure her journey would not be impeded by some ever lurking danger and she was on her way. The sentry did not take long for it to rise up in her line of sight. The two had not been that far away after all hence the over caution. The sentry was like the rest though there was a shiny silver bell to the right side of the counter. There was no way she was hitting that button. She once again noticed the poster of the lanky skeleton in full armor that looked rather wicked in its design. Who needed a weapon when your armor could legitimately do the maiming for you? She paused to hear a scuffle seeing a canine-shaped head begin to sniff at the air. All she could do was remain perfectly still.

The anthropomorphic guard made his way out from behind the station its nose frantically sniffing about trying to identify the unknown entity in front of him. She was able to get a better look at him this time. At first, she thought he was a wolf but he resembled more of a husky than a lupine. It's one amber eye flecked with citrine and milky blue eye stared down at her his nose positioned nearly inches from her face. She continued to remain still as if she had been frozen in a block of ice.

It stayed in the same stance as he unsuspectingly loomed over the girl. Since she had nothing to do but pray for her life to continue Frisk examined the sentry more clearly. He had two pointed ears on the top of his head and his markings were a deep blue color that started at his neck and extended down to the bridge of his nose. On the right side of his face, one of his pale eyes sat from a set of claw-like scars. His left ear also had some metal sticking out of it only implying some kind of rudimentary piercings. A bog biscuit was clasped between two mighty sharp fang-filled jaws. The end of the threat seemed to be smoldering along the bone-shaped treat causing it to glow in bright yellows and oranges. He appeared to be smoking that was evident from the cloud of smoke that caused her eyes to sting a small amount when he blew the offending air into her face. Just above his eyes were two cream eyebrow like markings. He was so fluffy that Frisk had to quell her urge to reach her hand out and pat the dog. She was interrupted by the gruff voice that bore its sparkling white canines at her, those could tear her to pieces, "I know you are there you can't hide from Doggo. I can smell you...identify yourself." She could smell the aroma of burnt dog treat on his breath as he spoke.

The tattered sunburnt orange bandana around his neck was now close enough to nearly touch her nose. If she moved she would be a goner and this guard did not look like the mercy type. He had some visible scarring not only at his eye but also peeking from the wrappings below his ribcage and under his spiked armor epaulets. He also wore a silver collar whose metal spikes gleamed menacingly just above her. She was interrupted from her observations only to hear an irritated growl above her followed by a snort that caused the hair on the top of her head to sway from the warm breath. Doggo slowly retreated as his grip on his knife grew in strength. He was clearly frustrated by the predicament. He was not blind as she could see but it would appear that the sign from before had essentially given her a hint to pass the canine sentry, beware of dog...sit...stay.

Another huff escaped the anthropomorphic husky's maw before turning his back to her and returning to his post. Her heart must have been racing because she felt as though her lungs had been constricted. She had been so close to another potential death. One false move and she would have to start all over again. Doggo had slipped back behind the counter only to take a seat in the chair that was provided and fold his arms over his chest. After a while, his eyes slipped closed the smoking dog treat hanging limply from his mouth. Now was her chance to slip by him. She slowly tiptoed her way past the station making sure to keep her eye on Doggo. His ears twitched once or twice but she was able to make it past without alerting him. It was time to move forward.

As she continued down the snowy path she took the moment to let her eyes fall closed just taking in the smells and sounds around her. It was not like that of a normal forest as there were no wildlife noises making a clatter as background noise but it was oddly peaceful. The scent of freshly fallen snow and pine drifted around her and a gentle breeze would at times give her a small chill. When she opened her eyes once more she peered into the distance to see yet another sign. The pathway opened up into a clearing surrounded by evergreens. There were only two directions in which she would be able to travel. The first was off to her left that went down a straight path. There was not much that she could see that may lie ahead. The second option was directly in front of her where a broken pathway snaked its way winding into yet another clearing from what she was able to see.

Frisk was worried about the potential of discovery in an open clearing but she had no other options. She could not just slink around in the shadows of trees for the entire time. She took a few steps forward toward the sign that she had seen earlier. It was a standard wooden plank nailed to a wooden post. Instead of the writing being painted onto its grained surface it appeared to be carved with a blade of some kind. One more step and she lost control. She did not expect the ground to suddenly transform into an ice rink as the treads on the bottom of her boots failed in gripping the slippery surface. Her legs shot out behind her as she ended up sliding toward the sign on her stomach. Her already sore head rammed into the post only to be greeted by a face full of snow, that had once been undisturbed, as it fell from its wooden perch. Now she was aching and cold. Her hands reached out to take a hold of the sign and on wobbly legs, she was able to right herself shaking the offending frozen water from her head. She could have sworn she heard a chuckle as she did so but as she listened for the noise again it never reasserted itself, creepy.

*You need to be more careful!

Frisk just rolled her eyes no duh she needed to be more careful. That slip-up, quite literally, was not really her fault considering the snowfall that had covered the already frozen ice beneath. If anything it could have been a trap but she highly doubted that was the case. Well, she was here now throbbing head and all. She had wanted to read what was on the sign that she had seen in the distance. The smile that she had on her face slowly changed into a thin line as she read.

*The sign reads: Caution slippery ice

Frisk felt her right eye twitch at the late warning only to place a hand on her forehead in disbelief. Who puts a caution sign after the danger!? She closed her eyes and took a deep breath with her arms outstretched toward the sign. She had to calm her understandable rage before she would have to slip and slide her way back to where she had tasked herself to go. All she could focus on currently was her aching skull. Her boot stepped gingerly onto the ice patch as she gained her balance. Another step and she slid a little away. There were a few instances in which Frisk ended up sliding and almost falling to the ice but she was finally able to make it back to stable ground after a rather time-consuming placement of footsteps. She did not want to go through that again.

She slowly made her way to her left this time taking the clear path that she had seen before. It was not that impressive to look at. It was the same evergreen snow-capped trees that flanked her as she strode onward. She still had to be alert to any potential dangers that might be lurking behind every tree but even that thought to her was a little excessive. The path opened up into a clearing with a snowman resting right in the middle. That was odd. It's smiling face watched her as she approached the snowy creation. She did not expect for something like this to be here but she presumed that maybe a child had built the smiling man made of snow? Either way, it took her mind off the clumsy induced migraine she was now forced to endure.

Frisk examined it for a moment. It was just like any snow sculpture a child would construct complete with coal eyes, buttons, and a mouth. A long orange carrot was used as a nose and twigs made for one of its arms. Unfortunately one had gone missing. It was rather cute. She decided just like the dummy that she had encountered in The Ruins that this snowman just may have a life of its own. Her hand came down to gently pat its head with a smile gracing her rosy lips. The scarf protected her neck from the harsh cold but what she wouldn't do for a pair of mittens. She had grown used to the cold alas she was not invulnerable to its effects. Frisk felt that she had to give the poor thing another arm in order to be complete nearly talking to herself in the process, "Don't worry Mr. Snowman I will find you another arm." She glanced around the area. Oddly enough there were no more trees in the clearing only an endless white blanket of snow. How big was this mountain anyway?

In an effort to fix her snowy friend she returned back to the path looking around trees in order to spot a possible candidate. She wove in and out of the natural barriers occasionally placing her hand on the rough bark to peer around corners. At last when she had made it about halfway through a thicket of pine trees where she found a few sticks. Her detour brought your back out of the little side forest carrying a bundle of sticks of various sizes and lengths within her arms. She returned to her snow pal and placed the grouping before him only for her to blink in confusion. There was now a second arm on her snowy friend. She had not been gone that long so how did this magically appear?

That was when she heard a voice speak up, "This is **snow** boring". It was coming from the direction of the snowman. It had not said anything before. Her eyes shone with curiosity at the voice she heard. It sounded young and perhaps a little timid in tone. Her line of sight went from the black coal stretched smile embedded in the snow to the corner of one of the constructed man of snow's wooden arms. There was something moving behind the snowman that she previously thought to be alive. She straightened her posture and slid her leg to the right only to make her way around the snowman. What she found behind it was a monster about the size of the two snow dodecahedrons that made up the main body of the snowman. It appeared as if this monster had been puppeteering Mr. Snowman the entire time she had returned.

The monster pulling the strings looked avian in appearance with pastel blue feathers all over its body. Its eyes shone an almost sickly yellow and the same coloration could be found on its beak, stomach, and legs. Its underbelly reminded her more of a reptile-like an alligator while its beak opened in surprise showing sharp white teeth. Upon its entire body, it had a frost like covering as if its body was one with the ice. Atop its head was a helm that resembled a snowflake and even had the frosty look of one. Its yellow eyes stared up at her wide-eyed little bird-like talons clicking on the pavement underneath the snow cover. It looked terrified as its pupils dilated at the very sight of her flapping its non aerodynamically born wings. The frost on its feathers dusting away in a flurry of flaps "P...please don't **ice** me human. I just can't **alp** myself..." The monster took a few steps back shaking with every movement.

Frisk watched the poor creature make its way further and further away from her. All she could do was gently shake her head and show the little monster her hands to show she was of no threat. It was fascinating the varied reactions just to her presence. It may have been due to what monsters had been told of humankind just as she had by her own. She did not approach the monster as she spoke gently, "No of course not I won't hurt you I promise." She kept her distance to keep the monster a little more comfortable, "What's your name?" She had that usual comforting and warm smile on face as she waited for a response.

The creature's beak opened a small amount before responding, "S...snowdrake its **ice** to meet you human, oh...uh Frisk." Frisk could not help but smile at the little drake like creature before chuckling, "You like snow and ice puns huh?" Her laughter caused Snowdrake to flaps its wings happily, "Did you like them? Do you think they are funny?" The little monster looked like it had never received a compliment in its entire life. It's joy just caused her smile to grow in size. It was refreshing to meet a monster that appeared to be genuinely happy. She had not seen much of this world but so far it was extraordinarily hostile, "Yes of course! It's something that brings joy to people. You know laughter is the best medicine." Snowdrake bowed its frost laden head "Mom would have said the same thing. Thanks, human, oh, here is something you might be able to use." Snowdrake pulled a stick with a single yellow and orange leaf from behind its back holding it out to her as an offering.

Frisk leaned down and took the stick gently from frosty feathery wings gratefully. She was still unsure if this monster standing before her was but a child but the way it reacted to the smallest of things made her assume as much. It looked happy enough that she had taken his little peace offering. It was comforting to know that not all the monsters seemed to have taken the kill or be killed mentality to heart. They were most likely victims of the ideology as well. She wanted to spend more time with the little monster but another flap of wings and he was running off onto the path beyond yelling something about a joke book.

*You obtained a stick… like that is going to do much in the way of defense

At this point Frisk just rolled her eyes at the voice within her head nothing could be as bad as dealing with Sans, could it? The skeleton clearly freaked her out. She still could not shake this feeling of being watched as she stood there alone in the open cold. Her arms came to wrap around herself shivering from the frigid temperature suddenly. She could have sworn she heard a distinctive 'tsk' noise sound from nearby. The sound drifted on the freezing wind before reaching her ears. She most certainly was being watched which made her gulp. It was time to move on.

*Good choice

She hastened her pace back to the start of the cautionless ice rink of a trap she had fallen for before. She was still a little salty about the useless sign and head trauma. She saw the silhouette of a certain snowdrake disappear around the corner as she continued her journey only to stop at a strange looking square of suspiciously cleared snow. She could only make out faint footprints, more like boot prints, that traversed the gap in a distinctive pattern. None of the snow surrounding the prints was touched. This had to be a clue that she should only walk along where she saw prints. Her instincts would be right about this trap as she slowly followed the fading steps. One by one she made precise steps forward until she came to a halt. A leaf from one of the nearby trees slowly fluttered down toward an unmarked part of the trap only to be gored by a spike that shot up from the snow. It stayed up glistening like some kind of sinister warning sign, stay on the path. After that sight, Frisk's legs were starting to grow weak. Her throat was starting to tighten as she stared at the potential device of her own execution.

Her mind wandered back to Snowdrake who she sincerely prayed was safe after all the things she had seen. A sweet little monster like that would not last long. Not that she was on to talk. She supposed he was building that snowman so he had to pass this area just fine. Maybe the monsters just knew how to get around such hazards. Her weak legs finally caused her to collapse on the safe side of the elusive death puzzle. How many more of these would she have to stress over before she actually made it to some habitable place? Her weary body made an effort to stand only stumbling a small amount in the process. She had made it past the trap now it was time to move forward.

A heavy sigh passed her pastel pink lips as she wrapped her arms around herself trying to gain some semblance of warmth. Even with her densely knit turtleneck she still felt that icy chill permeates through the fabric. Her eyes fell closed as she shivered. All she could do was press forward and hope that somehow and some way she wouldn't freeze to death. Her legs were on autopilot as she made her way to stand in front of a wooden bridge. She expected, like the rest of the architecture, that it would look rickety and unstable. That was the opposite of the nearly glowing wooden bridge that stood before her. At this point, she had crossed so many bridges that she just walked right over the woodwork without so much as a single hesitation. Nothing happened.

The rest of her journey was uneventful though there were some notable features that made for interesting commentary. As she made her way forward she came to a dead end. It was a ledge that housed two sentry stations both of which had carved images of dog heads on them. An odd detail to be sure but Frisk felt there was some kind of significance behind it. The same "motivational" poster, if you could call it that, glared at her from the opening of both stations. Papyrus sure was a scary looking monster, maybe even worse than his not to be spoken of, brother. There was no way that she wanted to end up in either of their clutches.

*A most severe and unpleasant thought

Another shudder from such a horrifying daymare. There was nothing notable about the two currently unattended stations as she returned back to the path. It led her downward toward what looked to be a 'T' shaped ice rink. Why was it there? Why was it in such a pattern? It baffled her. That is everything was beginning to baffle her as of late, again nothing to note that would require her attention. It was not long before she paused in her journey onward. A familiar feeling was pulling her. It was one of the stars again. Its golden light came into view in front of her as she proceeded to let the feeling guide her stepping on a piece of paper in the process. She snapped out of her trance when the sound of crumpling reached her ears.

The curiosity ate at her as she debated whether to give the paper any heed. Everything else except for perhaps the death trap from before held no purpose so why did she pause here? Thinking it might be wise to just check her surroundings she picked the paper up. Her face began to pale as she read what was written.

*It's a wanted poster. It reads: WANTED HUMAN- report to the Royal Guard immediately if sighted. Guards are to engage with deadly force.

A gulp escaped the poor girl as she continued to glance over the piece of paper. It was a wanted poster alright. A wanted poster for her and not just her capture but her execution. Why? What had she done that was warranting such brutality? A menacing picture of Papyrus stood out to her as she crumbled up the piece of paper angrily. Her nerves were shot, her body was sore, and now she had to be afraid of death around every corner. The monsters did not even give her the opportunity to explain herself. Her eyebrows were furrowed angrily before the look softened. She placed a freezing pale hand to her forehead and sighed in exhaustion. She was not going to give up but Sans older brother was not making this any easier.

She pocketed the crumpled scrap of paper in her back pocket before hearing a noise from behind her. Her motion of twirling around could not have been more perfectly timed as a blue dagger flew right past her face slicing her cheek in the process. The crimson liquid now slowly dripping down over the curve of her jaw as she stared at her attacker. The growl would have given it away but Frisk's blue eyes landed on Doggo anyway. Had he followed her since she passed his station? Did he feign sleep in order to pursue her? So many questions that really did not need to be answered swirled within her now panicked mind.

You encounter Doggo of the Royal Guard

Doggo- HP 70 ATK 13 DEF 7

Deceptively blind...smells like smoked dog biscuits

The world surrounding her began to drain of color. Not again. She was going to have to stand her ground in some way without combat. This was going to be difficult. Up till this point, she had either been spared by the monsters or some event stopped them from outright killing her. That is except for Sans which she didn't even want to think about right now. That feeling of being watched was still causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. The monochrome world stretched before her illuminating her canine adversary in a white glow. She most certainly did not want to fight him or anyone for that matter.

*Defend yourself…

Doggo is confirming a moving target

Frisk just stayed still only to get another magical blue dagger thrown exactly at her face. She had no choice she had to move. As she rolled to the side of the blade she ended up laying cold in the snow. A dagger that she had not anticipated had lodged itself into one of her legs causing her to painfully roll onto her back where an amber eye glowed above her. That smokey dog treat smell caused her to cough as the vicious muzzle rested on her face. He was going to tear her face off. She had to keep her nerves steady as they both appeared to have frozen as they looked back at each other, "You thought you could get past me mate?" She didn't respond as another growl erupted from the canine sentry now pinning her down. One of his blue daggers hovered in the air poised to attack. Only one of her hands was able to move and even then it would not do much good, "The Boss is going to be thrilled to see a human! He'll let me back into the Guard for sure if I bring you to em."

Doggo is suspicious of your movements

The revelation hit Frisk. Doggo was not going to kill her, not yet. He was going to drag her all the way back to Papyrus to show his superior of his skills. She gulped once more rather loudly before she was pulled up by the collar of her turtleneck sweater. All she felt was the icy blade at her throat and her soul still stuck outside of her physical form. The world had yet to revert but she had a feeling it would all go black soon. She was at a loss. She was going to die… again. She closed her eyes waiting for impending doom before she heard a rustle in the trees. The sound was not lost on her canine sentry as he raised his head sniffing the air with narrowed mismatched eyes. His attention turned back to Frisk who pet the dog on its head.

The action caused Doggo to freeze mid dagger swing and drop the blade as if he had been suddenly paralyzed. She continued to pet him as she seemed to relax more and more. What do you know that one fluke of a noise beyond the treeline had given her an opportunity to absentmindedly pet Doggo? The tactic appeared to be working as those eyes that were once ablaze with flame were now glazed over trying to remain open. The dog still liked to be pet, who knew? As she pets Doggo his tail began to wag and the black and white prison of combat that she had once been a victim of fell away slowly bringing the world back to her senses.

Doggo has been pet

You won!  
You earned 0 EXP and - gold

After a few moments of consistent dog pets, Doggo pulled back scratching the back of his head a dog treat still hanging from his teeth. He looks off to the side continuing to glace at Frisk from time to time. He has his teeth gritted to the point that what was left of the smoking treat fell to the snow below with a crunch, "Human… you're alright mate you can't be all bad if you're alright with petting someone like me. I was going to drag you to Papyrus but ya wouldn't last a second." Doggo looks over the human still laying in the snow before reaching down to pick up one of his blue daggers, "Guess I could just say the human bested me. Between you and I mate, I am tired of always being bossed around. Yer not much of a threat."

Frisk was surprised that Doggo had given her a pass so easily but maybe all the monsters were bored of the same kind of life that they had been forced to live. It could be that he was tricking her into some sort of security but his tail was still swaying back and forth, "M...my name is Frisk." Doggo's eyes fell on her as she spoke up, "All you humans look the same to me but nice te meet you, Frisk." The more she encountered the monsters here the more she felt as though her task could be completed. That feeling of achieving a hopeless goal seemed to disappear entirely, "May I ask why you're letting me go aren't you afraid of Papyrus?" A chuckle escaped his scruffy maw as he pulled a dog treat from his back pocket and lit the top part of it. His two paw like fingers pulled the treat from his grinning mouth and held it between his finger as he spoke, "Papyrus may be our leader and he might be fearsome and brutal but he ain't like that all the time pup. You don't seem to be hurting anyone like everyone says humans are like so it doesn't bother me. Now that I think about it givin you to the Boss would not be a very good idea because mate I am not even part of the Guard anymore. If you think I was harsh on you pup you ain't seen anything."

Frisk shook her head before balling her one hand into a fist of determination. She was going to treat everyone with kindness and respect no matter what. The more this ideology was proven the stronger she felt. The more her DETERMINATION grew. If this were some kind of cheap stereotyped anime scene she would have had sparkles of resolve bursting and reforming next to her. Doggo raised an eyebrow as he stared at the strange girl in front of him before sticking his smoking treat in his mouth, "Be careful pup yer walkin on thin ice any of us could drag you to Papyrus." Frisk nodded in affirmation she already knew as much. The wanted poster from earlier made that perfectly clear.

Doggo didn't seem to have any more murderous intent against her. It would seem that pets made all the difference, "Pup including me there are 3 other sentries watch your tail yeah?". At least Doggo was giving her some advice that would be helpful for the rest of the journey. She seemed to make some kind of diplomatic monster and human strides. At least that is what went through her head. She pets Doggo one more time watching his fluffy tail sway back and forth before waving as she walked to the next area. She had made it to yet another glimmering shimmer of light that would reenergize her once more. That, however, was not what caught her attention. There was a table off to the side of where she was standing and upon it was a plate that looked to wrapped in tin foil. A pale red sticky note with writing that looked to be in a Papyrus font and a lot of exclamation points was stuck to the foil.

SANS YOU HAVE BEEN FAILING IN YOUR SENTRY DUTIES YET AGAIN! I WILL NOT STAND FOR SUCH LAZINESS EAT SOMETHING SO THAT YOU NO LONGER FALL ASLEEP AT YOUR POST!

-Papyrus

Frisk just stared at the note for a second. It would seem that Papyrus really does care for his brother even if he does not say or show it properly as a brother would. What was under the foil she wondered. As she lifted the warm thin sheet of metal she could smell the cheese, the tomato sauce, and the herbs. It was so mouthwatering that she almost thought she caught herself drooling. It was a perfectly plated lasagna and still warm enough to eat. It had the presence of someone with a distinct culinary skill which she would have never thought Papyrus would possess. She was kind of hungry but this was for Sans. A little bite would not hurt, would it? There happened to be a fork on the plate as well. An actual meal for once? She did not know the last time she had actually eaten anything and it was clear that Sans had not eaten it either. She gently picked up the plate and sat down resting its warmth on her lap. The aroma caused her starving stomach to rumble as she removed the fork from its position next to the culinary marvel. She would only eat a little bit then save the rest for Sans, payback for killing her so many times.

Frisk sat happily as she cut through the pasta dish leaving a trail of delicious mozzarella cheese dangling off her fork. One bite and she was hooked. She stayed true to her word though as she took little bites painfully wanting to devour the entire plate. It was one of the most flavorful explosions of culinary bliss that her taste buds had ever given the opportunity to enjoy.

*The flavor is indescribable!

She was down to half of the dish from heaven when she cried a little on the inside for having to cover it back up again and placed it on the table. She was still hungry but at least that filled the spot enough that she no longer felt as though she was dragging lead blocks through the snowy forest. Last but not least she made her way over to the star. The injuries that she had sustained from Doggo glowed with a golden light before vanishing entirely. There was not a single scratch on her. She closed her eyes when the light became too bright.

*The small piece of homemade lasagna warms your freezing body and soul.

** {SAVE}**

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛** **10** **t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

End of Entry...


	15. HALT! Identify Yoursmelf!

Summary:

Frisk continues her journey through Snowdin Forest but something is...off. It always feels like eyes are on her even if she is all alone in this desolate wintery forest. There are more than just deadly puzzles and traps that block her way. Will she learn more about the Underworld and it's inhabitants or become just another victim of a particular obsession with spikes?

{DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains suggestive advances that is really it. Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

 **Welcome to the Underworld** **  
**{Log 2: Snowdin

Entry 4: HALT! Identify Yoursmelf!}

Frisk's energy no longer felt as though it was on the precipice of life and death. The hearty slice of lasagna she had just consumed, restraining her urge to eat all of it, had given her the boost to proceed with her journey. Doggo had mentioned that there were more guards up ahead and that they would not be so placated by pets. That or Doggo was just sick of Boss due to his overbearing nature. She remembered back to when she was being hidden underneath Sans sentry station. They were brothers and yet this older yet gruffer skeleton acted superior to the rest. She had tried to ask Sans what was wrong but he only became more irritated with her. She was scared enough as is that he was just stringing her along and was going to appear out of literally nowhere and end her. What a way to live. He, however, did not seem to appear much to her relief.

Her journey was just beginning and yet she felt she had come such a long way already. This was just the tip of the iceberg. The start of a long road. Each step would question her drive to continue onward and keep her integrity. That moral standing to keep to what she believes in the most sacred, mercy and hope. She took another look at the abandoned tin foil wrapped lasagna hoping to be able to have the opportunity to praise Boss for his culinary prowess. As she turned on her heel to continue she noticed that the once thick tree line was beginning to thin out. There were still trees but they seemed to be sparsely placed in the area that she was now journeying through. Her desire for some company only began to grow as she lowered her head and looked sadly downward at her empty satchel. She had to come to terms with his passing, even so, it left a hole in her heart. She had lost someone dear to her. A friend. A companion. Her legs carried her even farther into a clearing. There was a patch of paved snowfall just in the middle and yet nothing else seemed to be around it. It was only when she nearly fell off the side of the snowy plateau that she fell backward. This was not a regular area. All this time she had been traversing snowy passes and mountains. She was above everything as she gulped. She most certainly did not want to fall from a height like that.

She slowly turned her body enough to look behind her. The coast was clear and there did not seem to be anyone there. That was a good sign for the time being. She turned her head to take a moment to close her eyes and heave a heavy sigh. She really had to be more aware of her surroundings if she did not want to end up dying some horribly unfortunate death. The cliff that she was now sitting upon did not seem to have any significance. It only confused her seeing as the monsters seemed to always have a purpose to these things. Another sigh escaped her as she stood to brush off any snow that still stuck to her, not so winter conducive attire. The sweater was warm and toasty enough but she felt as if the shorts and tights were being eaten away by the frigid winter air. There was no turning back now.

The plateau she was standing upon seemed to only go so far in either direction as she made her way back toward the space where the lasagna had been. She had gone straight only to find herself near the edge of a precipitous cliff. Now the only option remaining was to turn to her left. It was such a strange layout that she had to question why the Underworld was setup in such a fashion. They were under a mountain right? Apparently a very vast and very hollow monster, no pun intended, mountain. All she could hear was the droning of her boots crunching in the snow as she walked, passing little to no scenery along the way. A few trees here. A rock or two there. There was really nothing noteworthy. She found that a tall impenetrable wall was before her to her left. It bared her way from making any more progress just as they had within The Ruins. Their sharp points gleamed wickedly in the light. There was no way she was going to be able to pass those. She had seen these spike traps all over the place. She was starting to wonder if the mastermind behind them was obsessed with impaling or just pointy objects of any kind.

She sighed in exasperation. What was she supposed to do now? Her annoyance got the better of her as she sat in the snow next to one of the spires. She just curled her knees up and rested her forearms on them. If she wanted to make it through this she was going to have to think of a solution. In the past one of the ways that she had solved these seemingly deadly spike puzzles was to trigger it somehow. The first puzzle was a pressure plate solution but looking at the wall before she proved that was not the answer. The second puzzle was a series of button like plates on the ground that had to be used at the same exact time and order for the spires to descend into their deadly grated depths. This also did not fit that profile.

She waited there for a short period of time digging her boots into the snow like one would do at the beach with sand. It was only when she felt something unusual roll under her heel did she realize what it was. It was a piece of rubber rolled into a very thin tube for insulation. In other words, it was a wire. A series of wires that seemed to run right up to the spiked contraption she had just been confounded by. That was the answer. The wire had to run somewhere whether it be a generator or just a simple switch.

Now with a new and invigorated hope, she stood up to place a hand on her chin in thought. If she just followed the wire then she would be able to pass through the obstacle of spiked towers that stood before her. She inched her way along the wires path uncovering it with the toe of her boot. What she found was that she was traveling all the way back up to where she had her small detour and little by the little she finally reached its destination. It ran right under or rather up to one of the lone snow capped fir trees. The toe of her boot smacked the wood gently. It was not fake that was for sure.

She stared down at the cold trail that now rested next to her snow clad boot. She just ended up staring at it in confusion as if a magical button would appear from thin air. It didn't. Instead, she stupidly decided to kick the tree with her boot only to regret her decision. Her toe began to throb lightly from the impact causing her to lean up against the cool bark. She turned her head upward toward what should have been the sky watching her breath materialize from the cold. The clouds of fog formed with her every exhale. She was trying not to break down right then and there. Her eyes fell closed with her hands hanging at her sides in defeat. No button, no safe passage. That was it plain and simple.

She stayed in that position for a moment before feeling a freezing glop of snow land squarely on top of her face. The cold bit into her skin causing her cheeks to burn a bright red as she wiped the offending ice from her cheeks. Her eyes turned upward to notice a figure hiding within the branches of the tree she was resting against. She had missed it before because it blended into the snowy treetops. She could smell the pine that drifted just above her as she tried to get a better look. There was some movement in the treeline as she called out gently, "H...hello?" She was half afraid that it was something that would do her harm but it had not moved to attack her. If it wanted to do so then it would have already.

She could not see exactly what was happening but before she knew it the sound of a cracking branch gave way causing whoever or whatever to fall from its hiding place. There was a streak of white and blue as it plummeted to the snow just right in front of her feet. At first, it just looked as though a piece of ice had fallen down from the treeline but when it started to move she backed away from the tree a little. A little monster about the size of a small dog poked its head out of the snow to look at her as it rubbed at what she assumed was its head. To her, it reminded her of a snowman, a living one that is.

It had a round head that resembled that of a freshly rolled snowball, two little round arms and legs, and a carrot like nose. The only difference from that of her snowman friend from before was that this monster had a rather large chunk of ice on the top of its head. It looked almost like a cap or a hat. It's nose upon another inspection looked like a drill rather than a carrot that slowly spun as it shook its head of excess snow, "You're a human right?" Its voice was a little bit more nasally then that of Snowdrake though she knew this particular monster was a child like the former.

She nodded gently to its question before trying to help the little guy up out of the pile of snow he had fallen into, "That's right. Why were you watching me?" The little monster looked up at her almost resting the tip of its giant ice crystalline like cap into the snow when he did, "Watching… no, no I was hiding up here from some of the Guard." Frisk found it curious that a citizen would be afraid of their own protectors perhaps that was not so much the case. She had only met Doggo so far and he was no longer a part of the Guard and though he seemed pretty relaxed he had warned her about the other guardsmen, "Why would you hide from the guards? Did you do something wrong?" The monster, still yet to be introduced, shook its head, "Not a thing. They get really mad if you are out after curfew and don't like people in their territory. They keep trying to take my stunning hat as punishment. Hey...hey I forgot to introduce myself I am Ice Cap but you call me IC." Frisk tilted her head with a sweet smile, "It's nice to meet you IC my name is Frisk." IC brushed his seafoam colored sweater off as he placed a hand to his forehead, "Hey Frisk why were you just hanging out by the tree? Right?"

Frisk scratched the back of her head slowly in embarrassment, "I was trying to follow this wire from the spikes keeping me trapped in here and it led under the tree but for some reason, there is nothing here. I don't know how to move on." IC tapped what passed for his mouth and looked up at the tree before realization passed over his face, "Ohhhhhh I know what you are talking about! Yeah, that wire just goes to the generator out here to power that thing. Weird… usually, it's not on at all unless Papyrus…" Frisk just finished the thought for him since she already knew what he was thinking, "Yeah, Papyrus is after me along with the rest of the Guard." IC nodded before pacing back and forth, "Can I help a human? Isn't that like treason or something…oh, I will lose my cap for sure." He looked up at her before huffing, "Ok if I just happened to mention that there is a button around this area that might help you get past that wall and you just listened in then it wouldn't be treason."

Frisk blinked in surprise at the tip so there was a button or a switch around here like she had initially thought. At least she was on the right track. She was starting to realize that not all the monsters were out for her. In fact, the smaller ones were rather helpful. It was those with the power that seemed to want her head and even then could they be persuaded that this was not the life they were meant to live? Just because there were some monsters that were more hostile than the rest did not mean that those under them were the same. In fact, just like in The Ruins they seemed to be bullied, hurt, and afraid. She smiled at IC, "Thanks I appreciate it." IC just waved his little snowball like arms, "Yeah, well you didn't hear it from me. We know you can help human. Please…" His eyes looked up at her with a plea within those black pupils, "Please help us."

Frisk knelt down next to him and rested her folded hands on her denim short clad thighs, "I am going to do whatever I can to help. Don't worry." That spark of hope lit up his eyes as he started to try and climb back up the tree once more, "Hey why are you trying to climb back up there again?" IC looked at her thoughtfully as he took his hands off the bark, "They are probably still around here so you better get going." He lowered his head and used the spires of his glacial cap to point in the direction she was supposed to find her solution to the puzzle that blocked her way. She could not argue with him as he climbed his way back up in the treeline to sit there. Now that she knew where he was she could just make out the outline of that giant hat.

The direction that he had pointed to was off to their right. To her, all it looked like was a simple clearing with a few trees here and there. A small gust of wind blew them to and fro only to return to their upright positions. The strange thing about it was that there were only three trees in total. They seemed to be surrounding something in a kind of 'u' shaped pattern. That was most certainly suspicious. Her feet slowly made the journey to stand in the open part of the horseshoe and examined what secrets may possibly be lurking beneath the surface. Another gust of icy wind caused her small frame to shake from the cold only to notice that there was something blowing the snow off a plate of some kind. She couldn't touch the snow with her bare hands as they were already freezing but what she could do was use the stick that she had obtained from Snowdrake earlier. She pulled the stick from her bag and started to scrape some of the snow off of the strange plating. The sounds had that distinct ring of scraping metal and that is when she knew she was on the right track. All she had to do was apply pressure and the switch would be active.

She placed her foot on the plate only to be rewarded by a satisfying click. The trees that were sparsely laid out gave her a clear view of the spikes on the other side as they descended into the ground as if they never existed in the first place, EUREKA! She could move forward once again! She could not express how excited she was as she practically ran toward the now open passageway. She could not have done it without IC though. She would have been scouring the entire area for some sign to get rid of the offending barrier. When she reached the area she slowly placed her foot on the metal grating fearing that a spike might shoot up with pressure applied but that nightmare never came to fruition. She closed her eyes and sighed in relief before heading forward.

There were more plateaus to traverse only to be connected by a single wooden bridge. It was so tiny that looking down over the edge was an easy task just by looking forward. She quickly made her way across the planks before following the path. Just as she continued her journey she was frozen solid by the figures that began to approach her. All she could see were their black almost executioner like hoods that shielded their faces. The only thing that was more terrifying was the giant gleaming axes that their paws held tightly as they approached. There was only one explanation as to who these two were, the royal guard.

They looked identical as their snouts sniffed the air around them searching for their target. Did they know that she was here? Did they know her scent just like Doggo had? Her heart raced as they approached and she stayed still. All she could think of was that Doggo had a difficult time seeing her if she stayed still so perhaps it would be the same for these two? Their drug their massive weapons as they circled her snouts pointed upward sniffing skyward. She could see their breath swirly around their muzzles as they tried to pinpoint the location of the intruder. A growl erupted just to her left, "What's that smell?" The other mirrored his or her hooded companion with a growl of their own, "Where's that smell?"

Frisk was just trying to hold it together as she stared at the blades right next to her. The two dog-like executioners had flanked her and were sniffing her to identify who she was as her body shook. They must have operated on smell alone. This was bad...very very bad. She already had to be impaled and hacked to pieces with a cleaver. Why did she have to add chopped to death with an ax on the list. She had second to react as the blades raised before swinging down upon her. She was either getting really good at dodging or her heightened senses were finally paying off. She tumbled in the snow just as the blades came down slicing the ground just inches from her feet. One of the two howled, "IDENTIFY YOURSMELF."

*Watch out for Doggamy and Dogaressa!

The two pulled their hoods back to reveal two Bernese Mountain dogs whose usually distinct coloring was pale. The first had a kind of heterochromia of purple and icy blue while the other had blazing purple eyes. They also looked like they were a couple. That would explain the dog houses that she had seen before. The one that said 'hers' and 'his' on it. The one with the purple eyes was glaring at her with a wicked sharp-toothed scowl, "Here intruder... intruder... Amy darling do you see it?" The other dog like sentry nodded, "Yes I do Ess dear. Why don't we cripple the little thing and bring them to the Boss?" She nuzzled her mate under the chin mirroring his smirk as they both looked down on her, "You always know just what to do my little biscuit.~"

Frisk scrambled away from the two dogs only to end up tripping over the ax that was thrown just prior and falling to the snow below with a thud. The snow stung her eyes and limbs as she turned to look up at the two canines bearing down on her. They leaned in close before sniffing her once more. She screwed her eyes shut just waiting for their axes to sever the connection between her legs and her body. She was terrified and there was nothing that she could do. She opened her eyes to see the two of them looking at each other confused. All she heard was, "Puppy?" Frisk looked at them mirroring their look of confusion, "You smell like a puppy. What are you doing out here all alone? It's dangerous honey." She was astounded. She smelled like a puppy? How did she… oh. She had scuffled with Doggo earlier so his scent must have rubbed off on her in the process. What a lucky break, "S...sorry."

Amy pulled their ax from the ground before helping her up, "Honey we almost hurt this little pup." Ess seemed to look horribly mortified, "I know Amy darling I would not be able to bare it if we hurt one of our own. Be more careful there pup." Frisk nodded gently, "I will." Ess patted her on the head, "Hey pup since you lasted how about a little token?" Amy clapped her paws together excitedly before nuzzling Ess with kisses, "Brilliant darling!" Ess pulled a little golden enamel pin from his pocket and handed it to her, "Keep working pup and someday you might be part of the Guard too." Frisk looked at the little pin in her hand as the two swung their axes over their shoulders before heading off toward what she assumed were their stations. The symbol was one she had seen before. The Delta Ruin. The symbol of the royal family. She did not know why but the symbol gave her the chills. She kept the token anyway as she placed it on the flap of her satchel. Its golden wings sparkled as she looked at the little trinket. Just below it in a scrolling font was, honorary Guard .

The encounter between the two sentries had her legs feeling a little unbalanced. She nearly almost got her legs chopped off only to end up crippled at the feet of a very tall and very menacing skeleton. She knew she would have to face Papyrus sometime but she prefer it later rather than sooner. At least she had made it through that encounter. Her heart was still racing from it all. If she had not skirmished with Doggo then she probably would be right back by the lasagna once again. If this was just the sentry she did not want to even know what awaited her beyond this seemingly never-ending forest of traps and puzzles. Her knees were scrapped from her fall but she was practically numb at this point thanks to the biting cold. She decided it best to continue the journey to calm her nerves.

The path was clear as it just stretched onward before she found herself in yet another strange layout. This time it was a series of snow-laden rocks that directed her to some new puzzle peculiarity. Evidently, this also led to another wall of spikes that blocked her way. She let out a groan of frustration at the wall, "Seriously who is so obsessed with spikes enough to bar the way at every turn!" Well, unfortunately, one would not accomplish anything yelling at potential puzzles so she directed her attention to the strange layout. She only assumed that just like before there was some sort of switch that would send the obstacle receding into its dark prison.

She tapped her finger on her chin gently before standing over by the 'H' shaped series of rocks. They had to be placed here in this formation on purpose just like the trees from before. She realized that there was a switch just off to the left. That felt a little too easy as her feet came to activate the button on the frozen ground. Her eyes flicked to the wall. Nothing. Alright well, let's see. She stood at the opening of the 'H' and saw what looked to be glass hiding underneath the snow. She wiped the glass off with her hand even though it was freezing to the touch. It would appear that it was some kind of plate but it seemed different. She stepped on it only for it to begin to glow a bright red in the shape of a circle. She stepped off the plate and it continued to cast its eerie red glow over the landscape. It appeared that it stayed on even if she did not apply pressure to it.

She moved away from the glowing tile to move toward the other side of the strange formation of rocks. Just as she suspected the same plate was here as well. The same bright red glow formed into a circle leaving her to look at the wall, nothing. Maybe she had to do something else? She had to admit that if she was not afraid for her poor fragile human life then she would have enjoyed all the puzzles. That and if they did not try to kill her when she attempted trial and error. She had been very fortuitous already. The switch from before had to be the answer. She stepped upon the button hearing a click only to see the once red circles glowing a bright green and low and behold the spike wall was nowhere to be seen.

She jumped up in the air as her excitement got the better of her, "Yes! I did it! HAH! Take that Papyrus!" She was all giddy that she did the puzzle all on her own and that she was still making some semblance of progress. That excitement and triumph was soon overshadowed by the gruff familiar voice that was right in her ear, "'Ey doll~." He whispered in her ear. Frisk screamed and ended up pulling away so quickly that she stumbled and landed on her butt looking up at him. She felt like her heart was about to crack through her ribcage. All she got was the usual deep hysterical laugh. "Ya 'avin a bit a fun 'uh? Lookit you.. ya finally figured it out 'n everthin'..

Ah, all humans as slow as dis? or ah ya just special?" His tone was condescending in a way.

She had just had a horrible scare from two sentries she really did not need one from him. All she could do was glare at him, "What do you want Sans?" His laughter died down as he kept his hands hidden within the confines of his jacket. She never took notice of it before but it had more details about it then she initially thought. She was too focused on avoiding the skeleton to care. He just shrugged with that smirk plastered on his face, "Just chekin in on ya doll~" She stood up shakily and wiped the snow from her shorts. She was so not in the mood. She had to be close to the town somehow. Oh, stars, please.

Sans just watched her for a moment before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her against him when she turned her back. That was always the worst move you could ever pull with him. She gasped only to feel his one hand on her hip. WHAT WAS HE DOING!? She couldn't move as a familiar pressure surrounded her. She saw no magical aura but she knew it was being used because her soul was trying desperately to break free from the hold. She felt his warm breath on her ear before she heard him speak, "Well doll ya seem ta be doin just fine out here. Hows about I help ya? It'll cost ya.~" Was…. was he flirting with her!? Ok, first of all, no no no. There was no way in a million years that she would even remotely give into that. Second of all did he really think he cou-" Her train of thought was cut off by the skeletal hand that trailed along her leg. UH NO!

Frisk managed to break free only to turn to her cheeks a little pink from the cold, " No thanks I would rather be stuck doing puzzles." She shuddered. He was such a creep. First, he had killed her goodness knows how many times but now he was putting advances on her? She shivered once again as he just started to laugh, "Ahahaha your face is priceless there kitten. Fine if ya don't want ma help I guess I'll just see ya in town then." He had been staring at her with half-lidded almost predatory eye lights the entire time. That was not a good sign, "If ya need me doll just say ma name~" The way he said it caused every muscle in her body to tense. This was a complete one-eighty from the murderous skeleton she was used to. Did he think just because he hid her from his older brother meant that she owed him in any way? Let alone a way like that?

She wanted to growl at the implication but the very moment that she had looked downward she heard a strange noise. When she looked back up he was gone. She gulped. Her fears were realized. Not only was he probably watching her but he also could appear anywhere at will. It also did not help her peace of mind that the skeleton seemed to be enjoying his little game of sexual advances.

She tried to push the thought out of her mind but the feeling of his hand on her leg still felt like it lingered there. The revulsion was overwritten by the sheer thought of him appearing like that behind her again. Just as she had started to struggle out of his grasp the magic around her soul had loosened. He had let her go on purpose. She could only imagine if he did not intend to do so or that he wanted to keep her under his control. Her stomach started to feel a little queasy. Then there was that deal he asked her to take. If she had said yes and he helped her what in stars would he have wanted in return!? She could only think the worst. Once she got to a town she was probably going to wash and scrub herself raw just to try and rid herself of the scent of smoke and mustard.

There was no time like the present as she passed over one of many obstacles that she had faced. Her hands gripped the leather of her satchel seeming the runic pin glint as she walked. Only to find herself throwing up her arms in exasperation, "AHHHHHHHHHHH!" She wanted to scream as she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Another one!? ANOTHER ONE!? She calmed herself and walked toward it. It was the same puzzle as the previous one so it should not be too hard. All she had to do was make sure that all the lighted plates showed one red circle within them. She had to give herself a mental pep talk in order not to angrily stomp her boots onto the fragile panes of glass. As she turned each one she accidentally stepped on a panel that she had before only to realize that instead of staying the same it transformed into a blue triangle instead. Great… there were more settings than just the red circle.

She made her way over to the button only to hear a distinct click to see the panels lose their neon-colored glows. Alright, so she couldn't step over any other panels that she had already touched. She examined the layout a few times before she found the correct path illuminating the snow with a distinct crimson glow. Once finished she returned to the switch only to hear the satisfying click. The spike wall slowly began to descend once again letting her pass. Just another set of spikes that she did not have to look at again. Her feet led her to the end of the path only to stop in front of a narrow bridge. What was this she wondered?

The bridge looked sturdy enough but that was not what caught her eye. No, it was the odd monochromatic series of squares that lay just beyond. Her boot stepped onto the wooden planks causing the lighter colored wood to groan in protest. The tiles on the floor appeared to look inactive as she stepped onto one of the darker grey tiles. Nothing happened. She proceeded to step on the different values of grey and white until she was on the other side. She couldn't imagine what kind of ridiculous or deadly trap would have been in its place had it been active. The panel on the other side of the stage Tetris esk puzzle was flashed one word in big neon blue letters, disabled. Well, at least that was of some comfort. She did not have to go through some diabolically designed tile puzzle that would probably leave her singed, electrocuted, or stars knows what else.

There was still a thought nagging at the back of her mind as she stared at the screen in front of her. Where was the head of the Royal Guard? Where was Papyrus or rather Boss? She had not seen him once on this long trek through the forest. Sure she had seen hints to his presence such as posters and things of that nature but never the armor-clad skeleton himself. She was not complaining. She preferred it this way, as his violent reputation preceded him. She would have to find a way for him to convince him to let her go. The time would come that she would have to exhaust her energy in order to survive the encounter.

She had to close her eyes as she stepped onward toward her mission. What she would not give for a nice warm bed or a slice of pie. Her steps halted as she sadly thought back to Toriel. Yes, she had caused her a great deal of pain but she was just so alone. The thought of the goat mother trapped forever behind the rubble of The Ruins exit hurt her. She missed that friendly smile, warm bed, hot shower, and a slice of pie. She had been right that she was killed outside those walls but the other monsters she had met still had that last remnant of hope. It was probably why the younger one, Snowdrake, took his goal of making people laugh so seriously. There was so little hope for the future here. The more she met them the more her heart reached out to them all. She wanted to help and that's exactly what she was going to do. She would not get anywhere with standing around however so she continued her way down the path.

It opened out into a clearing just as it had many times before and housed a small sentry station surrounded by the dark woods beyond. The trees were all parallel making it look as if they stretched forever into the darkness. There was no one at the station but there was one strange detail to note as she made her way towards the wooden outpost. There were sculptures everywhere of what seemed to be a dog. The only thing was that this dog had an astoundingly long neck. Some of the sculptures looked to have just crumbled under the weight but others looked as though they had been smashed. It was a sad sight to see. Whoever had made these snow dog sculptures had put a lot of time and care into making them.

*it's the broken head of a snowdog

She walked up to one only to stare into its small snowy face. The monsters had proven time and time again that their artistic prowess was unmatched. She hoped that maybe once she completed her mission that they would be able to share that with others. A small smile pulled up on her face as she pet the sculpture on the head before she spotted a familiar entity. Just to the right of the pathway as well as the strange graveyard of destroyed or forgotten snow dog sculptures was a sparkle. Thank stars too since she was starting to become fatigued. How convenient for the stars to always be there before she felt she physically could not continue.

She felt that small spark of hope burned even brighter as she thought back to those she had met. Everyone from Froggit to Snowdrake, to Doggo. They all wanted something else and maybe, yes, they only knew one way. Maybe this mentality could truly be broken. Even if they never knew who had set them free it was enough to know that she would be giving them a chance. A chance to prove that monsters were not just some label that humanity put upon them. Her hand came to rest on the star just as she had done before. It's golden light filled her vision.

*These puzzles and traps are maddening but the thought of reaching the little town outside the wintry forest fills you with hope.

**{SAVE}**

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛** **10** **t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**


	16. Skeletons, Puzzles, and Traps! Oh MY!

Summary:

Frisk wanders through the entirety of Snowdin Forest. It can be rather frustrating to be blocked at every turn. It is true that puzzles can be fun! That said they can also become increasingly boring and monotonous. What is in store for Frisk? A harrowing fall, A little hideout, or a beastly encounter? Who knows...

{DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains NOTHING bad whatsoever just fluff. Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

 **Welcome to the Underworld** **  
**{Log 2: Snowdin Entry 4 PII: Skeletons, Puzzles, and Traps! OH MY!}

The glow resided leaving her staring off into the dreary winter landscape that was beyond. It was a little unnerving that wherever she went there was not a soul to be seen except the random encounters she had. It just felt so empty and lifeless. She remembered peering out over the ledge from before to see just how massive this underground prison had stretched. It was astoundingly spacious so why did it feel so terribly frigid and void? Just earlier Sans had appeared out of nowhere changing his tune with her. He could not kill her so he was going to mess with her instead. The memory made her shudder just a small amount as she turned to look back the way she had come. The place was littered with what looked to be snow sculptures of dog heads with extraordinarily long necks. Some of them were intact as she noticed before but some of them looked like they had been smashed. It was a shame really since the artistry of the sculptures was something to behold. She had to wonder who would take the time to do something like this if the environment was so hostile.

It was like some kind of snowy graveyard that was just littered with various snow sculptures. The death of sculpture, how sad. The society that she now found herself did not treasure the basics of creation. If it were not bad enough it looked as if some delinquent had in fact gone to extreme lengths in order to make sure that only traces of the artistic pieces remained. Who in their right mind goes out of their way to purposefully and spitefully vandalize just for the sake of it. There was clearly an aggression that needed to be addressed though a specific individual came to mind. She really did not want to think about. That said, how could she not? He could materialize out of nowhere, give her a mild cardiac arrest, and then vanish as if he did not exist in the first place. It was maddening. What was the kicker in the whole situation is that she could bet right now that she was being either watched or followed whether it be out of sheer boredom or an aloof self-interest? It did not matter. He seemed to enjoy scaring her a little too much and she just wanted to get out of this flipping forest.

Why she felt she needed to psychoanalyze the strange landscape of icy dog heads was beyond her. No detail was too menial to leave out. It had helped her before when she had devised a plan to escape what she now referred to as the frying pan. It would have been funny except for the very obvious fact that 'frying' was in the title. It was a memory she rather keep to herself. No need to rehash old wounds or in this case burns. She shook her head just standing off to the side of the path like some kind of clueless signpost. She had to move forward. It was difficult to understand why she would just be standing there stuck in her own head for what might have been a few moments. Any onlookers would probably have questioned her sanity not that there was anyone around to do so. She hoped.

She ended up shaking her head once again attempting to clear the neurological cobwebs that seemed to always stick within her mind. One thought after the other becoming tangled in a latticework of nonsensical observations and details. It was an unfortunate product of her rather unnatural upbringing. Her attention now lay on the pathway ahead. It's unclear snowy ground stopped abruptly to end at another precarious plateau. She could immediately tell that the ground now at her feet was hiding a devious stretch for ice that ran into the thicket of trees ahead. She was not going to be tricked by that sneaky expanse of ice just hiding under a blanket of freshly fallen snow again. She still had a headache from the previous egregious misstep from before. There was something familiar about the layout that she noted immediately, "Another puzzle are you kidding me!? Just how many of these are there!?"

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she could just see Sans laughing hysterically somewhere in the darkness of the forest behind her. He probably would have had his hand plastered to his face as he opened that shark-like mouth to cackle at her frustration, gold tooth glinting in what little light the dreary snow-laden forest had to offer. They were underground after all not that she in the least understood how anything in this seemingly otherworldly prison worked. There appeared to be light when there should be none. There was food with no sign of livestock or vegetation. It was a conundrum but she was dealing with monster logic. It was quite clear that humans were not supposed to find themselves traversing the roads and pathways of this underground society. Afterall the only way to break the magical barrier that kept them all trapped was the power of human souls. The thought was a none too pleasant one. It would have caused her to involuntarily shudder wrapping the scarf she found tighter around her neck. She was glad that she had taken the scarf she had seen in the chest from before. It was a welcome insulation from the cold that only seemed to grow in its ferocity. She could only imagine what a snow storm in this place would be like. She pictured that it might have resembled a kind of spiraling tornado of icy death. An exaggeration of course but your imagination runs a little wild when the natural laws by which the world was governed seemed to be broken in this place.

She really needed to learn that she needed to figure this out. She huffed only to see her own breath swirl from the visual manifestation of her own frustrations. She figured out the other puzzles before and as such her confidence in her puzzle solving abilities was growing with each obstacle. She could see from her vantage point that scattered about the rink of ice was a faint white glow from underneath the blanket of snow that obstructed her view. The mechanical panels from before came to mind as she stared at the layout. It appeared to be similar to the puzzle from before. All she had to do was touch the panels and make them all red circles. She placed one foot out on the playing field and ended up slipping right to the first panel watching the white glow change into a crimson. She seemed to be safe from slipping on them. They at least had some semblance of traction as she debated where to head next.

She must have been overthinking the puzzle because as she stepped forward she slipped to the next panel nearly stumbling out of the safety of the box she found herself. Ok, so this was not as difficult as she thought she just did not want to end up careening off the side of the cliff. A couple of panels more and she tapped her foot on the ice only to hear a voice off to the side. It was gruff and sounded just like….

Her mental and physical reactions did not sync up as her foot came down to send her slipping along the preset path heading right for the edge of the rink. She had just heard Boss coming this way and she lost all sense of direction. His voice grew louder as she attempted to stop her slipping. No such luck. The first voice of the Head of the Royal Guard was followed by an equally unnerving one. She knew it well. It would appear as she struggled to keep herself from falling off the side the two were coming her direction. She had a creeping suspicion that Sans knew she was there but was once again causing her grief. That or her paranoia was hitting a new low. Just as he tipped over the edge she spun around grabbing onto the cliff. There was enough ground cover for her to hold onto. The only question was how long could she hold on. Her feet dangled helplessly as she just hovered over the abyss. She could see some light down below but how tall of a fall could she survive. Her fingers dug into the available ground as her head just peered over the side.

Where there was once an empty expanse of the pathless forest there was now a snow bridge. How did that get there? She had to assume that it appeared when one was able to solve the puzzle that she had been frustratingly attempting to complete before her life, quite literally, hung in the balance. Her arms were starting to fatigue as she pulled herself up enough to see the two brothers cross the bridge. She thought that she would have just seen the two walk right by her without so much as a passing glance but she was not that lucky. It was clear, though she had not formally met the elder of the two, that he was just as observant as she was. The one who continued to walk forward on the opposite side of Boss was Sans. He had his hands stuffed into the pockets of his rather over the top leather jacket. He just slid across the icy expanse like some kind of leisurely ice skater.

The sight had nearly caused her to forget the precarious situation that she now found herself. She was hidden enough that the two would not be able to see her. Thank stars. It would have been problematic if they had. She could only imagine what would have happened to her if they did. Her attention was now on the skeleton that had stopped mid-stride to look over the series of glowing panels. She gulped. He clearly had noticed that there were some spots that now were glowing ruby red instead of their defaulted white. The only way that those panels could have changed a different color was if someone had activated them and recently. The panels ended up reverting back to their white after a period of time. As the glow faded from a now light pink to a crisp white he stood with his eye sockets narrowed. Not good!

Now she had the opportunity to get a good look at Sans older brother. She had seen him on posters and had heard his voice before but never actually had seen him in person. She would have inspected the skeleton up close and personal but the distance that she had right now was perfectly fine with her, thank you. Despite her goal, she did not have a death wish. Her grip was starting to falter.

Boss, as his younger brother referred to him as, was lanky and tall. He was so tall in fact that he towered over his brother's stature and Sans was already taller than her. She was surprised to see how different the two really were to each other even if she had somewhat of an idea of his appearance prior to this. His armor pieces looked menacing enough until she realized that he really was not wearing much in the way of physical protection. It would appear that he prided himself on style rather than the defense. In the poster, she had seen before back at the dog's sentry he was in an entire suit of menacing armor. Did he just do that for show? She could not imagine lugging something like that around on your body all day every day. It would be exorbitantly heavy not to mention a little over the top. Not that his current appearance was not over the top.

The skeleton reminded her more of what a human skeleton would look like in regards to anatomy. While Sans was more toothy Papyrus had more jaw to him. She knew Sans could open and close that terrifying spiked jaw of his but Papyrus had a normal anatomy that allowed him to be more realistic? She was unsure if any of her thoughts were making sense even to herself. On his left eye socket there were jagged scars that ran from the ridge of his brow down into his cheek and within the hollows of those sockets were glowing red slits. She had a feeling that just like Sans those eyes could change shape and vibrancy. His teeth were jagged just like his brothers with two distinct spires on either side doubling as sharp canines. He currently had his jaw closed with a look of focus on his skeletal face as those crimson light like eyes scanned the area.

His attire made it clear to her that he was a general of some sort just due to his jacket choice. She had seen a similar jacket in her history books a long time ago. It had a collar that curved downward on one side only for the other side to be popped and hanging open. The lapel held its shape as it exposed very little of his wrapped scarf. On his right side, the bright red scarf that was wrapped his jacket was just swung over his shoulder. It was not pristine but rather had various signs of damage to it like splaying fibers and holes. She wondered if it had any significance. The scarf swayed in the wind as she had to shut her eyes.

She could feel the ice beginning to form its way up her fingers as the cold began to numb her grip. It traveled up the nerves one by one leaving her losing feeling in her fingers first. Along with the sensation of gripping the frozen ledge with an ever numbing hand, her arms were starting to fatigue. Her eyes were screwed shut as the sensation of burning set into her arms. The contrast of her freezing hands and burning arms were keeping her from focusing on the potential danger that lurked just up above her. One would think after being burned alive that the pain would not cause her much discomfort but this was a different kind of burn, the kind of burn that came with fatigue and exhaustion. She could hardly tell if her grip was slipping or if she was digging her fingernails into the ground so hard that they were starting to crack and bleed.

The fatigue subsided only for her fingers to finally give way. She could no longer hold on as she tumbled down off the side of the plateau and into the darkness. The fall was not long as she was met with a thick blanket of snow that caught her falling form as she collided to the ground. She stared upward as little flakes of snow landed on her cheeks causing them to flush a light pink. She was alright. She had held onto the ledge for so long thinking that this was going to be yet another fall into impending doom but she was perfectly fine. She did not even feel sore, well save for the fatigue in her upper arms and her frozen fingers. She really would have to invest in some gloves at some point if the Underworld was going to continue to be a frozen slurry like this.

Her warm breath hit the cool air as she sat up to look around the area that she had fallen into. It was just a little space underneath the rink above and a set of frozen wooden steps lead back up to the top of the puzzle. She half expected that there would be no grace to any of the monsters puzzles but this one seemed to be in her favor. That or the creator just really wanted to see the poor player suffer as they tried time and time again to continue their journey forward. That sounded more plausible .

Her weary numb limbs forced herself upright to stand. She was able to notice that the spot that she had fallen seemed to look to have been lived in at one point. A small half destroyed igloo like house sat nestled against the back corner. It was unclear just how long the structure had been there as it had sustained cracks that veined the surface of some of the ice blocks that made up its structure. Someone had lived there before due to the set of burnt twigs she had seen within. It was probably used to feed a smoldering fire that once would have kept someone small warm, perhaps a child. Her eyes fell on a scrap of fabric just visible within the ice. It was red in color but she could not determine exactly what kind of fabric it was.

She turned her attention away from the abandoned hideout to examine more of the area. She noticed that there were some snow silhouettes a little closer to the set of steps she had to take to return to the top. At first, she just assumed that it was the same as the ones she had seen before of the dogs. What she liked to call snowdogs. These, however, were not dogs at all. They were in fact very reminiscent of two skeleton brothers.

The first one was a sculpture of what looked to be a younger Boss who was smiling and happy. It was actually really cute. Right next to the sculpture of Boss was a sculpture of another younger skeleton. The appearance, however, caused her to take pause. It looked like Sans but she could not tell the more defining features. The sculpture had been smashed on one side unlike the other which appeared to be untouched. She wondered if the brothers had spent time making snow sculptures when they were children.

Her mind painted the picture of two brothers happily enjoying their time in the snow. Their small skeletal hands forming and shaping versions of themselves perhaps of each other. The laughter that they shared when one of them tossed a snowball at the other only to cause a mini snow flailing war. It was a calming kind of image that she had conjured in her mind. She had even begun to smile. She just wanted to see something other than a scowl. Something other than the bloodied fingers or pain filled existences. The imagined scene that was painted before her faded away leaving only the remains of what could have been. She would ask him about it but it was probably a little intrusive in its nature. Not to mention that he would probably just deny that anything of the sort had ever happened to begin with. The color that seemed to fill the world as she imagined the two in their early days began to dull bringing her back to the world she now stood.

There was only one way back to the top of her failure fall and that was the ominous looking icy laden steps that spiraled their way back upward. They not only looked as though they had been rotting there for decades but they also looked as though they had been frozen over. She had already been subjected to the pains of slipping on ice only to end up with potential internal bleeding. She was not looking forward to her accent or possible decent up those gloomy planks. No better time like the present as she began to take careful steps up the woodwork. What was left of it.

Her first step was not hindered by anything except for the groan and cracking that the planks made when she applied her entire weight upon them. She tested the next step by lifting her foot to gauge the stability. It also creaked as the other had but that appeared to be its only alarming quality. Step by step she ascended up the curving staircase. She reached the last two steps where she was now able to make out the snowy landscape just above. The silence gave her the assumption that the two brothers had passed onward. That was a small relief at the very least. The last steps were the worst of the entire set. They were entirely encased in ice that hung off their wooden skeletons in glacial spires. There was not a single foothold that she would be able to use to brave the remaining flight. There was only one option as she scrambled up the stairs in post haste. As suspected the treads on her shoes landed on the ice only to leave her slipping forward to catch the last step and collapse onto the snowy ground cover at its very summit.

She caught herself before she went flying forward face first into the powder to end up with her hands and knees buried in a soft blanket of snow. Her already frozen hands were so numb that the cold no longer affected them as she worked to stand to her feet. There was no time left to dawdle. She had to try it again and unfortunately, she would have to keep doing this until she was able to solve the puzzle. This time her eyes scanned the groundwork a few times mapping out each solution in her mind until she began to write in the snow next to her feet. The best option was to draw a map of what she thought the possible solution might be in order to put an end to this falling madness. She had an intellect so why was she not working to use it?

The solution was finally mapped out perfectly after a few questionable decisions. Now it was time to put everything that she had laid out into effect. That's when she realized that the bridge she had seen before that bridged the gap between the pit below and the forest beyond had vanished. She was not even going to try and explain that one as she slipped across to the first platform. As before it's inert white color began to fade into a bright candy apple red. One down eleven to go. She continued the process with the next set of switches working from the outside in. Soon after all the panels had a soft red glow to them causing the surrounding rink of ice to dance with various shades of refracted red. So close. Now she stood before the final switch. A button that was only a few feet away from the panel that she was now standing.

It had taken only two tries in order to solve the entire puzzle. Her patience was beginning to wear thin with how long it was taking her to make it out of this ice trap of a forest. Her feet slipped only to hear the tapping of metal underneath her boots. The button sank into the ground underneath her and resonated with a soft click that caused a snow like bridge to materialize in sections to span the gap before her. It was the same bridge that she had briefly seen before she lost her grip on the icy ledge. It was almost by sheer luck that she avoided an all too early encounter with Boss. She was not exactly sure if she was even remotely prepared for such a meeting.

The pathway that had just materialized looked to be safe enough as she took a step forward only to end up sliding along it to be swallowed by the massive tree trunks that stretched upward. The path up to this point had a more open layout but now she felt as if she was being devoured by the increasingly dark forest as she had no control over where she was going. It might have put her at ease if she decided to close her eyes but just as the darkness had so suddenly captured her senses a light rose into her vision. It was the end of the neverending sea of trees that surrounded her helplessly. She came out of the sliding pathway to stand in an open area once more. It was better than the creeping dark array of trunks that she feared would prevent her from ever seeing the light ever again.

Some duration during her little ice skating session a pile of snow had fallen on top of her head causing her to shake the slush from her hair with a quick headshake. Where to now? The town could not have been too far away. That or her optimism was getting the best of her now that she was desperate for some kind of winter protection for her freezing hands. The path once again forked. To the right was a snowy incline leading downward and directly in front of her was another path that was difficult to determine its end. She thought that she saw what appeared to be a wooden dog house resting near the cliff just beyond, but from her vantage point, it was difficult to be sure.

If she on a kind of plateau it was the logical conclusion that the town she had been journeying toward would be lower? Her immediate observations led her to begin to make her way down the snowy incline to her right. She did not even take one second to look up and observe what lay to her left as she focused on her foot placement. There were way too many times today that she had ended up sliding and careening off some obscure cliffside. The incline was about a forty-five-degree angle which made it easier to traverse. A steep icy incline would ultimately lead her to fear stupidly slipping all the way down to the bottom.

When she reached the bottom she realized that the path began to veer off to her right once more effectively sending her toward the direction she had some. Her earlier assumption was proving to be incorrect, regardless, she might as well see what was in store around the corner before she hiked back up to the top. This was the first instance in which her environment was not filled with trees or strange ice sculptures but rather a glimpse at the side of the cliff that she had been roaming around atop of.

The ledge on which she found herself was extraordinarily narrow where she only had a few feet between her and the edge as she walked. As her eyes scanned the area sapphire irises fell on the strange hollowed out recesses along the wall. At times she could have sworn that two pairs of white eyes were peering at her from the darkness as every time she turned her head to prove her ever-growing paranoia. The concept of feeling as if she were being watched was not one that was brand new. She felt it before and it turned out to be correct. She wanted to ignore the feeling that was beginning to twist in her gut as she continued along the ledge but her instincts had done anything but lead her astray in these instances.

A little way along the ledge inky recesses littered the walls almost as if they were a natural formation. It ended up leaving only something much more ominous, a completely pitch black doorway. The opening only led deeper and deeper into the darkness which she was unsure she wanted to explore. The rocky walls devolved into stalactites as she tried to make out anything else beyond the sound of dripping water reverberating off their rocky walls. She poked her head inside getting a scent of fresh water from the cavern. Its darkness penetrated every rocky surface shying away from the light. She wanted to see what lay within its depths.

She had always been afraid of the dark. It was a childish and irrational fear for most and yet it still haunted her. It might have been the fear of forever being alone to wallow in the dark or the fear of the hands that would claw and drag you down into the abyss never to see the day ever again. It was terrifying as he stood at the entrance of the cavern staring into the darkness. Her palm rested against one of the damp walls as her heart drowned the out the other sounds around her. She had to move her legs if she wanted to progress. It felt as if she was once again at the threshold of Toriel's kitchen. Her limbs were unmovable as her body shook from the effort of breaking the chains of her own fears. She was not going to be a prisoner to it as difficult as that was to put into practice.

In an effort to proceed she took a shaky breath feeling her lungs constrict as if someone was grabbing her trachea. The burning sensation was accompanied by her anxiety as she shut her eyes shielding her from any visual that would cause her to turn back. Her left leg stepped forward to be swallowed by the dark. She used the cave walls to make her way deeper taking steady steps. Her other senses were heightened as the sound of rocks crunching under the weight of her boots echoed off the walls receding further in. The smells that surrounded her were difficult to describe. It was the kind of smell you enjoyed after the cooling presence of the first rain. It was so fresh and crisp. The pads of her fingers were met with a rough texture that was abrasive against the skin like the grit of sandpaper. As she made her way deeper the texture began to change. What had once been a rough texture under her fingers was now a smooth texture. It felt like some kind of polished rock most likely due to the natural moisture within its walls. A little bit farther down the wall, the smooth stone became cold and damp causing her to pull her hand back from the tingling in her already icy fingers.

What was she going to do as she stood in the darkness? Her eyes were closed afraid to open them. She noticed that even behind closed eyelids the cave did not appear as dark as it had before. Her eyes slowly cracked open for them to be met with a soft bioluminescent cyan glow. It softly coated the walls with a colored light that spread throughout. The source was what appeared to be mushroom caps that had grown on various peaks and ledges within the cave. The light was not strong by any means but it did comfort her like a natural night light as she was now able to see where she was going. The deeper she traversed the brighter the glow rose from the once sparse bioluminescent fungi. It was not long before the entire cave was covered in a bright cyan glow.

There was nowhere left to travel within the cave as she found herself by a giant purple door. The same rune that she had seen decorating this world glimmered and glowed in all its splendor within the light. As far as she could tell there was no indication that the door could be opened from her side. It had reminded her of the door she had forcefully pushed open to escape The Ruins only to end up in this frozen tundra. All that fear and all that wandering in the dark was for nothing as she turned around only to stop dead in her tracks. There were no more distinct paths but there were some dark alcoves here and there. At least that is what she thought as a set of white eyes stared at her from the dark. At first, she thought it had been just a trick but then it blinked. There was someone or rather something in here with her.

All that could be heard as she stood frozen in place staring at those blinking eyes was the moisture within the cave. The constant dripping that she had heard before she entered was followed by the clop of hooves as the creature emerged. It did not seem to want to do any harm as it stepped from its shadowy home.

What moved slowly toward her was a monster unlike one she had ever seen before. It had the likeness of a deer in body structure without a tail. On its head sat two massive tree-like antlers that branched off to end in little snow-capped firs. It appeared that the antlers were also made of bark and two-knot holes closer to the base of the head appeared to house eyes. It blinked occasionally from the darkness of the hole where the little white spheres sat. It had two long ears atop its head as well as reminding her of possibly a llama. It continued to examine her with its primary set of eyes as she too observed the creature. It appeared to have no nose but rather a vertically situated mouth with a row of sharp teeth that opened and closed occasionally. Its spine looked as though the vertebrae had broken the skin and ran from the back of the creatures head to its hindquarters in a series of vertebral spines.

It looked as though it had been forced into the cave out of necessity as the wounds littering its short fur bore into the flesh of the creature. It had been viciously attacked or worse it was so used to being made into some kind of living dummy that it just had scars everywhere, "H...hello." That one word is all she could muster as the creature now was before her standing to its full height. It was about a head or two taller than her when it lifted its neck causing her to tilt her head upward to look at it. It just continued to stare at her before it opened its mouth to speak, "What are you doing here?"

Frisk was surprised it was able to converse with her but she had to constantly remind herself that she was in an underground world filled with monsters and creatures that defied all logic by her human standards. She had been so shaken the first time that she had seen a walking talking skeleton so she really should not have been so surprised that this monster was speaking with her now, "Oh I'm sorry if this your home? I just was curious about what may be in here I apologize." The creature seemed to snort like that of a horse glaring at her, "No this is not my home but the children outside like to use me as combat practice. I would rather not venture outside of here and now you probably lead them straight to me!" Frisk just shook her head, "I am so sorry I.." She was cut off as the creature screwed its eyes closed in pain and collapsed in front of her. It had more damage than she initially thought as she noticed the bloody gashes along its body.

The creature was now down on one spindly knee with the rest of its body desperate to stay upright. Frisk couldn't bare it as she kneeled down next to the monster, "Why would anyone do such a thing…" Her voice had been soft as she spoke placing her hand just above the wound to feel the creatures labored breaths, "DO NOT TOUCH ME!" She pulled her hand back and shook her head before digging into her satchel to find the one thing that probably should have been saved for her own endeavors. It was the other quarter of the spider donut that she had eaten before to heal her wounds right before her and…

She could feel her fingers subconsciously digging into the damp earth of the cavern as Flowey's smiling face flashed into view. It took her a moment to right herself as she placed the monster treat in her palm handing it to the wounded creature, "I don't have much but maybe this can help. It healed me before when I was injured." The creature eyed it suspiciously before seeing the webbed decoration and taking it from her in one bite with its strange almost alien-like snout. She watched in wonder as the skin began to knit back together causing the wounds it once had to vanish. Another snort, "Its Gyftrot…" Frisk just blinked and tilted her head, "Huh?" The creature moved its body to once again stand to look down at her, "My name is Gyftrot small human child." Why did everyone insist on calling her a child? She was short but come on!

She stood to her own feet, "Oh! It's nice to meet you Gyftrot may I call you Gyft? I'm Frisk." She was once again her chipper, albeit somewhat unnerving self, acting like there was no care in her mind when she had been placed in a literal hell. Gyft took a step back to let her pass if she wished, "That is fine human Frisk. Why did you give me your item?" Its voice displayed a kind of gruff and uncaring tone but its head was lowered and tilted curiously in response. Frisk replied softly, "You were in pain. I could not just let you suffer." Gyft scraped the bottom of its hoof on the ground, "I am a monster I have no value to you." She found herself holding onto the strapping of her satchel with frozen fingers, "Life is value. It always will be and it doesn't matter whose it is."

Gyft was surprised by this creature, this human that so willingly came to its aid. It spoke of life as something to treasure not just a dull and surviving kind of existence. A world that it currently did not reside. Its multiple eyes fell on the humans shivering hands. They must have been cold as they had no natural insulation, "Frisk you have helped me and now my debt must be paid." The girl looked confused but she was still smiling as she watched Gyft return to the dark only to come back with something hanging from its majestic tree like antlers. It was a pair of mittens.

Her eyes sparkled as Gyft inclined its head to present them to her, "Here Frisk these will serve you well." She gently took the gift from his antlers and slipped them on her frozen hands. The warm cream cable knit gloves wrapped around the ice like a warm hug and began to thaw her nerves. She could once again feel sensations within the tips of her fingers causing them to tingle as she rubbed the gloves together to create more warmth, "Thank you very much." Gyftrot nodded but said nothing more, "I will leave you in peace now."

*Congratulations you have been Gyfted a pair of gloves. They are a cream-colored cable knit. The present warms your heart and your hands.

She began to make her way back out of the cave before she felt a tug on the back of her sweater, "Human Frisk." She turned back around just a Gyft let go of her sweater, "Are you heading into Snowdin?" She eyed the monster curiously, "Is that the name of the town?" Another bow of its head in affirmation, "Yes that is its name be warned that the place is crawling with guards and those two skeletons…." Frisk nodded gently before the mention of two skeletons came up. Man they sure had a reputation, didn't they? Her natural smile turned to a look of mild irritation as her eyes became half-lidded, "Yeah I know about them trust me." Gyft blinked at her, "Ah you have encountered the brothers before then?" Frisk just nodded, "Yep. Well the shorter one, Sans." You know the one that is stalking me…...for some creepy reason. Gyft shook its head causing some of the little fir trees that decorated its antlers to dust snow in the air, "I speak of the tall one. The head of the Royal Guard." Ah yes. Sans terrifying older brother Papyrus. Another nod, "Be careful human Frisk."

Frisk was grateful for Gyft's concern and smiled, "I will be alright thank you." She made her way through the cave once again to find herself greeted by the icy air of what she now knew as Snowdin Forest. As she walked along the ledge that had led her to the cave that feeling of being watched was gone and she was starting to feel her fingers again thank goodness. The journey was not very long to reach the top of the incline that she had traversed before as she now stood at the fork in the road. She had to be careful. She could only assume that Snowdin was up ahead if Gyft was so insistent on its mention.

The area that she now found herself was a plateau-like some many of the areas within Snowdin forest before. There were only a few differences, for one there were these giant snowballs placed in various places on the ground. They only came up to her mid-calf but as she examined them all she could think of was…

*It's a snowpoff

*It's just a snowpoff

*GASP….another snowpoff

Interestingly enough she had never heard the term snowpoff before but it seemed fitting enough. There was a little dog house toward the center back of the area. It reminded her of some of the sentry guards mostly because they appeared to all be of the canine variety. Doggo, Dogamy, and Dogaressa immediately sprang to mind. She really did kind of miss the visually impaired sentry. Maybe she would get to talk to him again sometime. If she ever made it to town that is. The little snow-capped doghouse had no occupant but there was a sign just off to her right which read.

*Spikes house. Do not use. Spike will be ruff with you. Spike likes personal space...and belly rubs.

Frisk just chuckled. She had been right it was, in fact, another dog. She wondered if she would ever meet this Spike? Even if she was afraid of what the sentries or any of the other monsters within the Underworld would do for that matter, she kept hope that like the other monsters she had met before that they could come to accept her. At least before the end. In the distance, she could see smoke rising from what appeared to be a building. OH, THANK GOODNESS! She was near the town. Now she could find somewhere nice and warm to rest her head! All these thoughts caused her to pick up the pace with a huge smile on her face. All those fears of never escaping the forest just washed away as she nearly ran. That is until she reached a long extending bridge. She had noisily stepped on one of the planks alerting her presence.

On the other end stood a tall figure with its back turned to her. The golden embroidery of the rune stood out among the black leather jacket he was wearing. A blood red scarf that graduated downward into a deep maroon blew in the frigid wind. The figure turned its head when it heard the noise only for her to be staring into deep dark eye sockets that housed a glowing red slit of a pupil. There was only one figure that matched all these descriptions as she froze on the opposite side of the bridge….

 **BOSS**

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛** **10** **t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

End of Entry...


	17. The Bridge of DOOM

Summary:

Frisk has finally come to face to face, or rather the back of THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS. Only a strange bridge stands in her way. Welcome to Snowdin Town the sign reads. It is quaint and quiet like the kind of town you might find on a vintage postcard for the holidays. Are the residents just as friendly or will Frisk be forced to accept that no matter where she goes being a human in this monster-filled Underworld is a death sentence? That my dear reader is what you hold in her hands. Only you can answer that question for yourself.

{DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains NOTHING bad whatsoever just fluff. Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

 **Welcome to the Underworld** **  
**{Log 2: Snowdin

Entry 5: The Bridge of DOOM}

One might be wondering how the imposing figure of the eldest skeleton brother now stood at the end of the very long bridge on which our protagonist stands. You see the brothers do routine checks on all the puzzles and hazards within the area to make sure that they are functioning to their proper requirements. While Frisk fell to the bottom of a very annoying ice puzzle one of the brothers had returned after one final sweep to the town in which they both called home. It calls to mind that one went the opposite direction and ended up in front. An interesting question indeed as this story contains the journey of one so far unaccustomed to the abilities of monsters. That is neither here nor there as Frisk now stood upon a long-running bridge sandwiched between a forest filled with hazards and the General that she had been avoiding the entirety of her travels. One might give up and beg for such circumstances to end but not my little human.

Frisk's entire body and mind froze as the figure stood blocking her path. The bridge she had unconsciously stepped onto was incredibly long. The kind of bridge you find over a misty marsh or perhaps a moat filled with molten metal and rock in a video game. Even perhaps the kind of bridge you find in a British comedy about the legends of the medieval, either way, her journey was impeded not by the object in which she was to cross but rather what lay in its path. She had only a small window of opportunity to take in the elder skeletons appearance and she was a little glad that was the case. His costume sent shivers down her spine. It screamed military authority.

As she had gleaned earlier Boss did not just wear such an outfit for fun. His back was turned to her where one thing that stood out the most. It was the bright gold embroidery of the delta rune that she had seen so many times before. It was becoming more and more apparent that the rune stood for the entirety of the monsters loyal to the royal family as everyone that was associated with it had the rune somewhere on their clothing. The tails of his black leather coat came to about his mid-thigh if he had them. The golden trim caught the light in places as the wind blew the garment to expose the ombre red and black lining inside. The back of his collar also had some golden embroidery in various lines and symbols but it was too far to glean enough detail by sight. That torn scarf that she remembered seeing before had the same red and black ombre effect that she glimpsed from time to time in the lining. It's torn edges splayed and tattered as if the scarf might have at one point been in perfect condition. It also had a very distinct set of claw-like tears ripped through the fabric. She half wondered why he did not replace it with a new one. The only thing she could surmise was that it held some sort of sentimental value.

As he turned to face her she immediately gained enough courage to move and step back onto solid ground. She was glad that she had not made her way all the way out to the center of the bridge. That would have spelled doom for her. She finally was able to see the Head of the Royal Guard in person. His slitted red eye lights seemed to brighten at seeing her though his eye sockets narrowed in the process. One detail that stood out to her that she was unable to discern clearly before was the deep scars that spanned from the top his brow ridge to his cheekbone. There were three in total all varying in length. It appeared to be from one wound rather than consecutive. The scarring was much too deep and uniform. His mouth ended in jagged points with the two canines more prominent making it look like fangs. His cheekbones continued the pointed aesthetic. Who needed armor when you looked like you could potentially skewer your enemies with those killer cheekbones? He had the same red discoloration under his eye sockets as his brother. Who didn't have sleep problems around here?

His collar was a combination of a traditional Nehru and the kind of lapel you would find on a man's suit. The inner part was charcoal grey in color but like the rest of the garment, the underside of the collar was black with gold embroidered detailing. On his shoulders were two sets of bladed metal sikes that contorted in dangerous ways. She could see a pop of bright red where his long scarf draped over to his right shoulder as the fabric traveled to flow behind him the color began to muddle and darken. What was once a vibrant red was now a deep maroon bordering on black. There were two singular buttons that shined in his jacket holding the garment on his boney body with a gold trim lining the entirety of the hem of the coat.

His entire spinal column was exposed as well as the iliac crest of his pelvic bone. The bright red apple hued lining that she had observed before her frozen fingers gave way was more prominent in the front and had a luster to the fabric within. His arms were clad in similar red colored gloves that nearly reached to his elbow and for the life of her, she wondered how they even stayed up in the first place. They looked oversized for his skeletal structure and if his hands were anything like his younger brothers than it did not make much sense. Regardless of her thoughts about how either of them wore what they wore she had to admit that they suited the rest of his uniform. Each glove had an asymmetric cut to them and tapered at the top matching the already edgy aesthetic of spikes and spines. There were three spikes on each glove adding to his intimidating and somewhat over the top look.

He wore an ornate red, black, and silver belt with an obnoxious skull and crossbones belt buckle in the center. To top it off there was a gold chain that hung down and draped on his left side most likely connecting to the belt in the back. His coat reminded her of some of the old frocks and cut out coats back in the day. It suited his military background she mused. His pants were a standard black denim and though it seemed more informal from the upper garments on his body it too worked in his favor. Last but not least were his boots that were a combination of red and black leather. Along the top of it were three giant grey belts with golden hardware that matched the rest of the golden metal that seemed to appear frequently in this place. Underneath the last belt was a guard of some sort with golden spiked rivets lining its face. She was unsure if it served a purpose or it was just for decoration. The black and red color scheme continued through the boot only to end at three spiked rivets that mirrored the ones previously. She could only imagine being kicked by such a boot and prayed that she never had the misfortune to know. If Boss was not so out for blood and wanted her head on a platter then she would have asked him about his styling considering he looked pretty cool. Now that she thought back on it so did his younger brother as well. They both matched each other in details garment choice for the most part.

Enough of marveling at the skeleton's fashion sense. She now had a very intimidating and bloodthirsty obstacle obstructing her movement forward. She was in a rather unfortunate predicament. The only thing that kept her from a horrible death was a rickety bridge that led toward the town she was so desperate to reach. Boss did not move to walk toward her probably think a poor strategy just as she did but he did continue to narrow his eye sockets before a jagged smirk appeared on his face. He stood proud and tall as if daring her to take a step forward as he crossed his arms. His confidence was astounding not to mention his overly bolstered ego. He had not uttered one syllable but the smirk on his face was enough to tell. She had no options and he knew it. She was even more concerned by the fact that his short stack of a brother was nowhere to be seen which she had seen with him earlier.

Her eyes glanced from one side to the other looking at the beginning of the bridge and the snowy landing that she was now upon. The pains in her chest felt like it was slowly being constricted by some invisible python. None of that mattered. She had to continue forward. Her heel met with the first plank of the bridge. It may have appeared to be unstable but as she took a few more steps forward she realized that the bridge was in fact not all wood, "what the?" The first set of planks were in fact wood but as always appearances were deceiving the rest of the bridge had no give to it implying that it was in fact solid ground made to look like a bridge, painted to be more specific. The haughty grin that was on Boss face when she looked up had vanished. That was why he had not moved toward her. It was all an illusion. One that had almost fooled her.

There was no way for him to cut the ties on the bridge if there was no bridge in the first place. She had to give him credit for being not only an intimidator but also a brilliant strategist. Not everything was about base power. It was also about the mind and misdirection. Well played. Her strides became more confident as the skeleton unfolded his arms from his chest. It looked like he had no intention of engaging her and no intention of moving as well. Just as she made it halfway across the faux bridge she felt a small lowering of her boot and the sound of a faint click. She looked down only to see that she had activated some kind of switch. Her eyes turned back to look up at the Head of the Royal Guard, that smirk once again etched into his fanged mouth, "IMPRESSIVE HUMAN I DID NOT THINK THAT YOU WOULD BE THAT BRIGHT IF YOU WERE TO FALL FOR MY LITTLE RUSE! OF COURSE, YOU WOULD NOT BE SO EASILY BESTED EVEN BY I THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS!" This was Boss? She was conflicted. He sounded like some sort of over the top super villain with hairbrained schemes and an evil lair complete with ominous lightning.

It was probably best not to underestimate the skeleton however as he still had that smirk on his face as he strode forward just one step from stepping onto the bridge himself. She still had her foot precariously applying pressure to the button nervous as to what this might mean. Only when Papyrus spoke again did she begin to feel her nerves set in, "YOU LOOK NERVOUS HUMAN COULD IT BE THAT YOU ARE AFRAID I HAVE BESTED YOU? BEHOLD MY GAUNTLET OF DEADLY DOOM. He made a small mumble off to the side that sounded something like, the name still needs work, before laughing and turning his attention back to her. "NYEHEHEH, OF COURSE, I HAVE FOR RIGHT NOW YOU ARE STANDING ON A TIME ACTIVATED SWITCH. ONCE YOU STEP OFF OF IT THE DEADLY TRAPS I HAVE SET ALONG THIS WALKWAY WILL ACTIVATE! EACH ONE MORE DEADLY THAN THE LAST! CANNONS WILL FIRE, SPIKES WILL SWING AND BLADES WILL SLICE! I WILL HAVE MY BROTHER SANS CAPTURE YOU IF YOU SOMEHOW SURVIVE. NOW I HAVE TO MAKE NEWS TO THE KING THAT VERY SOON I THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS WILL BE SETTING THE ENTIRE UNDERWORLD FREE!" Was he that confident? He was basically there to gloat and then proceed to have his brother pick up if, in fact, she made it through this.

The imposing skeleton no longer blocked her way as he turned on his heel as if showing off the shimmering gold rune upon his upper back. He began to walk off toward the town leaving her nearly sweating. She feared moving from her spot on the button that should have just had doom painted along it. The crimson light from the switch colored her pale skin a bright red as she stared at it. She had died before, many times in fact, but for some reason, the dread still continued to set in every time. The question was...would she be able to survive this Gauntlet of Deadly Doom?

She had no idea what was in store for her when she released her foot from the button glowing ominously under her feet. Papyrus had made it clear what was going to happen. She looked back down trying to swallow the fear that was starting to rise in her throat along with a little bit of bile. He had also mentioned Sans but from what she could tell there was no one there, though knowing him he was around somewhere. Her nerves were starting to turn to putty as she closed her eyes. She could stand here forever and just wait for her own legs to betray her or she could just get it over with. There was nothing as bad as the other deaths she had been subjected to right? She could survive this. On the count of three.

1…..

2…..

3!

She quickly removed her foot from the switch only to hear it begin to tick like a clock. Papyrus had said the thing was on a timer. Nothing was happening was it another bluff? Was it getting hotter or? She slowly turned her head to see a giant wall of flame moving toward her from the opposite side of the bridge. Time to run. She quickly began to let her legs carry her as fast as she could over the walkway ducking down when a giant mace came down swinging over her head followed by cannon fire. If the blazing inferno was not enough then the giant fireballs were. She could feel the heat increasing as she narrowly dodged a fireball that was aimed right at her. In order to dodge the lance projectile that followed she ended up picking up her pace and launching herself into the air just as it embedded itself in the rock where she once stood. No time for victory however as when she descended a second lance shot right at her current position in the air. In an effort to avoid it she curled her head and ended up rolling before it just caught her.

She did not know how but her narrow escape had her quickly rolling to the edge of the bridge forcing her to hold onto the side for dear life as spikes came out of nowhere to take a swing at her. Her fingers attempted to grip the painted walkway as she struggled to get back up. The fire was also closing in slicking her already numb fingers. Her nails dug in attempting to gain some traction as she whimpered pulling herself up. Her feet had been dangling over the side helplessly as she panicked. Just as she stood to her feet a pair of massive blades crossed in front of her like a pair of giant scissors. At least she had missed that one.

The adrenaline that was rushing through her veins felt like the fire that was now trying to incinerate her. There was only a short way to go as she scrambled up to a run once more. Her progress was halted as she had to time the spikes that were now moving up and down on the walkway. Yep, those earlier traps were clearly set up by Papyrus. Who uses spikes more than him at this point? No time for musing as she timed the rhythm just as the wall of impenetrable flame was inches from her. One- one thousand, two one thousand, three…. She ran over the grate one by one only to reach the last one. She had no opportunity to time it like the others and had to pray that her timing was correct. She ran over the metal death trap and as off by a millisecond causing the points to narrowly miss her as she tripped face first into the snowy landing. She was exhausted but somehow still alive.

She could no longer see what kind of things had happened behind her because her face was now buried in snow but she did hear the whirring of some sort of mechanism and a click. All she was left with was the silence that followed. She had just narrowly survived Boss' Gauntlet of Doom. She could have sworn that as she lifted her head she could smell something burning only for her eyes to meet a pair of boots that she rather not see. Her neck turned upward blue eyes landing on him as he squatted down to be more at her level. Oh stars no. She watched as he opened his mouth licking his finger reaching his skeletal hand out toward her. She had to close her eyes tightly waiting to be reset. All she heard was a chuckle as she felt his fingers grab a hold of her hair on the top of her head. The burning that she had smelled before was due to one ember from the fire that had caught the cowlick at the top of her head and set it ablaze. He was just putting it out. She re-opened her eyes noticing he was more amused than anything.

Sans had been watching the human through their struggles the entire time as they stepped onto the switch that lay hidden on the walkway. His brother had taken the time to not only paint the damn thing but also add rope to it to make it look more convincing. It appeared to have worked for a time but the human saw past it. He, of course, knew of all the mechanisms that would be activated by just one misplaced step. His brother was a lot of talk but not all bluster. He earned his title and name for a reason which is something he had always admired about his big bro even if he would not directly state it. There was no way that the human was going to be able to survive this so he did not even bother showing up at the opposite side of the Gauntlet. He crossed his arms just waiting to end up back at square one again.

The moment she began to run he was tempted to pull out one of his cigars and just watch. He would not waste it anyway since she would be dead in a matter of seconds. He just watched silently before his eye sockets started to widen and his arms began to uncross out of the pure shock alone. She had dodged nearly everything. He ended up doing a double take and snickering a little when part of her little cowlick had caught fire. It was still burning when she face planted at the end of the deadly trap infested walkway. Only one thing left to do now as he snapped his fingers and appeared right in front of the face planted human. She had not moved at all. Was she actually dead? He doubted it as he licked his finger to put the fire out on her head. When he stood to his full height looking down at her he placed his hands in his pockets with a lazy toothy grin, "Heh. Gotta 'and it to ya kiddo didn tink yah'd make it outta there. Looks like mah bro really had ya on da ropes huh?" Horrible pun aside he was actually impressed for once.

Frisk huffed in irritation before looking at him like he had lost his mind. Did he just make a pun? That was new. He seemed to be less murdery too which called to mind why he even appeared in front of her in the first place. She shook her head, "So you watched this entire time?" It was a little bit of an open-ended question.

Sans' grin only widened when she asked him if he had been watching her the ENTIRE time. It was up to interpretation, "Mighta. Ah Just like seein ya squirm 'n try ta weasel ya way outta death dere kitten. Now get up, ya wanna make it ta town ain't dat right?" HIs impatience was starting to show as he did not even give her the opportunity to rise to her feet but rather wrapped his crimson-hued magic around her lifting her off the ground and on her feet instead.

Her eyes widened as she flailed her arms about when he magically picked her up causing her to float in a bright red glow. It set her gently on her feet before slowly disappearing. Was he being helpful? Alright, what was the catch? She brushed the snow that still stuck to her off her clothing and blinked a few times before nodding. She did want to get to the town and hopefully find somewhere to rest but that was probably a lost cause. A town filled with monsters would not welcome her. She was already a kind of fugitive after all. He seemed to be pointing his thumb back behind him as if to say that the town was that way.

Sans squinted his eye sockets for a moment staring at the human in front of him before frowning, "Ah ain't got all damn day sugar… Ya gonna stand dere ahl fuckin' day?" He was not planning on escorting her into town but he was going to walk at least to the town line with her. His brother was heading back to the house so there was a low probability that he would be spotted with her. If anything he could just drag her there like before.

Frisk was confused as to why Sans would even want to be seen with her but maybe it was just a prestige thing? She could see the lights just up ahead as they began to walk. She wanted to stay behind him the whole time but the skeleton was not having it as he grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her in front of him. The tips of his skeletal phalanges lightly brushed where her collarbone rested just under the knit fabric. She would have called them claws since the tips gently sloped to sharp points. He also had the golden spike rivets just inches from her cheek. They were purely for decoration but she was sure with enough force they would inflict nasty damage if wielded in such a way. She didn't like that he was practically leading her to where to go.

His fingers dug into her until they made it to the town line where they both stopped. There was a white banner with the words 'Snowdin Town' written in large red letters. Just underneath that was a little blurb, protected by the Royal Guard. That much was obvious. The town was more welcoming than she thought it might be. In the distance, she could see warm lights stretching across the snow lighting the way deeper into the little town. It was quiet with not a soul to be seen as the pressure on her shoulders lessened. He had let go of her. As she turned to say something he was gone. She was really starting to hate that.

The town was flanked on both sides by massive snow-capped fir trees. The sign that she had noticed before was kept upright between wooden posts. She stared at the sign curiously before realizing that there were little-broken lights strung on each side. What an odd thing to see. They were alternating colors, the ones that were working at least, and twinkled trying to bring a kind of warmth to a place that probably was hard pressed for any. They were, in fact, Christmas lights the kind that you would string around a tree she realized. She had not seen one since her captivity but she remembered them as a child.

It was made of a dark wood like everything else and was painted in a graffiti style. The top section which read, welcome to, was in a deep red color while the bottom was in a cyan color that read, Snowdin. It was a welcome sign. In places, it was torn and damaged with claw marks racked across its surface. The ice had begun to make a home in the left corner forming icicles that hung lazily below. As much as it had some damage here and there it was still rather inviting.

There was one time of year that everything seemed to shine and sparkle with twinkling lights and cookies. The faint memory was nostalgic but sadly that's all it was. Frisk did not have a family or a home. She had to turn those thoughts away. The town was lined with maple wood cabins that whose lit interior spilled from the windows warmly. It caused the snow to sparkle and glow with a rich yellow light. It appeared that this town was protected by Boss and it showed. There were no signs of damage or foul play from what she observed and the warm atmosphere eased her nerves. It was a shame as before it would have been a quaint and quiet little town one might see on a vintage postcard.

The little building that was now directly to her left had her pausing at the dark cherry wooden door curiously. She looked up to spot a sign with icicles that hanging from its metal supports. She was just able to make out the wording. It swung back and forth in the wind that occasionally blew through the town.

*It says Mary Annes Shop and Supplies.

She stared at the silver knob for what seemed to be hours before turning to look back toward the center of the town. It was still dead quiet until she spotted one of the stars she used to heal. That was priority number one as she reached for its warmth. The repetitious action of using these glowing anomalies was making the once wondrous reaction a bit dull. They were more of necessity now due to her growing desire to progress. It would seem that every time she used one of them if she perished she would return to the spot she last used one. It was still curious but not enough to warrant her attention currently. Just inches from that was a similar chest that she had seen before. The one that she had not only found items but also could put some into. She kneeled down and opened the box, interesting. There were some new items.

The first item she noticed was a small leather pouch with drawstrings to it. When she picked up the object she heard the light clink of something within it. Someone had left money in here. As much as she hated to take something without permission she placed the pouch into her satchel for potential use later. The second item was what looked to be a rolled up piece of fabric when she picked the item up it was heavier than first appearances. It was a light taupe color and secured with a set of buckles. The top had a symbol of what looked to be a black wolf mask with a contrasting white border. She curiously opened the item by unrolling it on the ground next to her. The contents within were housed in little fabric pouches or slots. Some of the items would be useful such as the emergency rations which looked to be a power bar that was rectangle shaped. It reminded her of some kind of robot as she continued to examine the contents. There were items that would come in handy for medical use if ever needed and a set of lockpicks? What was this thing? It was like a medi, thief, survival kit...so strange. The item that pertained the most interest to her, however, was the vial that was the furthest off to the right.

*The label reads NCG's sure-fire disguise glamours.

The label alone peaked her interest as a disguise might come in handy. There were a few glowing vials of various colors underneath. One of them had horns on it, the other had rabbit ears, and the last one was broken so she was unable to tell. She scratched her head lightly before rolling up the strange item and placing it in her satchel. Now she was wearing a bright cobalt blue ribbon in her hair, a pair of white cable knit mittens, and a black scarf with golden pinstripes running in twos horizontally along the soft fabric. If anything she was happy for some more insulation from the cold. She returned to stand at the entrance to the little shop she had been examining before. She wanted to go in but wouldn't they freak out if they saw a human walking into their shop? The worst scenario would be that she ended up at the end of Papyrus sharp red gloved claws.

She decided to take the chance and turned the doorknob to hear a soft click followed by a little bell. The shop was no larger than a small bedroom and nice and cozy as she stepped inside to stand upon a bunny like floor mat. It pained her to think back but the warmth of the little shop reminded her of Toriel's home. There were various wares that lined the walls in neat little cabinets. Frisk slowly removed her mittens and continued to look around. On the left-hand side was what looked to be a series of brightly colored vials and jars that lined the uppermost shelves. There were a few books here and there used as bookends. The shelf below it was entirely filled with books. She half wondered what some of the titles might be if they were monster or more like the books she had read. The items to her left were displayed in a long curio cabinet with glass windows, some of the items were little nick nacks and some were what looked to be toys for children. As she examined the wall there were shields and armor hung up for display. She half wondered if Boss came in here for his armor or just things in general.

Last but not least was the counter that spanned the back of the room. On each side was a set of deep purple drapes that were tied back to reveal some more exotic wares. No one seemed to be behind the counter where the lonely silver bell sat perched on its right side. She walked up the counter and tried to get a better look at what was behind it in which she saw some family pictures of a whole bunch of rabbit monsters. How cute. She could see that the shelves were loving taken care of as there was a pretty shimmery blue and black fabric draped on the shelf. There a couple of albums sat, a few boxes of various kinds, and a bottle with a candle flickering inside of it. There was an ax and sword mounted overlapping on the right-hand side of the wall which sported a rustic shiplap aesthetic. Just below were a set of drawers that appeared to have keyholes on them. It must have been to protect someone from stealing certain wares.

She had not noticed before but nailed to the opposite side of the wall was beat up piece of parchment with a rune branded in the center of it. She could only assume that it was handed down by the king or the Royal Guard. She leaned forward to take a closer look only to accidentally ring the little bell in the process. The soft ping of metal upon metal met her ears putting her on high alert as she was met with who she assumed was the shopkeeper. She was going to bolt for the door before she heard a sweet southern tang while her back was turned, "Howdy, miss what can I do for you?" It sounded much too polite and nice to be anything but friendly.

Frisk turned to face a rabbit monster. Her fur was entirely violet in hue as she stood out from the decor of the rest of the shop. Her long deep purple hair was braided and lay just over her right shoulder. It was tied back in an indigo bow. On her head was a medium sized sun hat that was decorated with the same indigo ribbon. It had two feathers sticking up that just gently brushed her long rabbit-like ears. In the left, a silver hoop earring hung from one fluffy lobe. A black velvet choker hung from her neck accompanied by some golden metal work that resembled wings. The off the shoulder black top that she wore was simply held upright by a series of X lacing like something you would find in an old Victorian fashion book. The fabric hung loosely on her frame but stopped right below her ribcage exposing her stomach. Her arms were covered in a black knit that just exposed her fingers. Her eyes watched the human with interest.

She was leaning with her elbows resting on the edge of the counter as she looked at her with a smile on her face causing her whiskers to bounce up and down. She appeared to be waiting for the very nervous human to speak, "Hello mame I was just looking around." The rabbit shopkeeper appeared to be surprised by her cordiality, "Now now miss no need to be formal. Names Marry Anne I run this little shop you see but you can just call me Mae if that suits your fancy." She smiled gently and stood up to gesture to the shop, "So darlin what were you looking for? Anythin specific?" Frisk moved a little closer and smiled. It was nice to know that the monsters were not all out to kill her only the prominent ones it seemed, "Oh no I just wanted to look around but maybe something to eat? I am kind of peckish and maybe you can answer some questions for me?" Mae nodded and closed her eyes happily, "Sure can sugar just give me a moment." She opened a little drawer behind the counter and began to place items on the counter.

As her head was hidden behind the counter she asked gently, "You're that human everyone's been caught up about huh? Don't worry sugar you're safe with me can't imagine it's easy for you down here. It's not even for us." She tilted her head curiously only to freeze and then relax again, "Y...you're not going to report me?" Mae just shook her head when she finally set everything on the counter Frisk could see that she had the prettiest green eyes she had ever seen, "Not in the least hun. The others around here might but my sister and I have been here for some time and just think the killing needs to stop. We are all so tired of it. Just want to live happy and normal lives you know? Able to raise a family."

Frisk had to sympathize with the Mae and that's probably one of the reasons that she felt so deeply for all the monsters here, even the ones that wanted to do her harm. They were trapped with no means of escape except for that one miracle or chance. Just like her. It was horrible to be trapped with the feeling of hopelessness and despair slowly trying to consume your every thought. No wonder the monsters had turned to such a lifestyle. She did not like the societal implications but she at least could try and understand, "I do." Mae just smiled once more, "So sugar what brings you round these parts? Did you come from the capital?" Frisk shook her head gently in response, "No The Ruins and I wanted to ask you a little about the town."

Mae seemed curious as she crossed her arms and leaned on the counter, "Sure sugar bun what do you want to know?" She thought about it for a minute, "Tell me a little about the town maybe? I would love to learn more." The rabbit shopkeeper nodded with her ears swaying above her, "Sure thing sweet pea. Let's see. Used to be a mess of a town and not a nice place to set down. The more powerful monsters would pick on the weak ones. The only reason we survived was that we provided a nice little service even then it was rough. All them bad folk made a real ruckus. Those skeletons moved in a while later and they came out of nowhere one day. Like a snap Papyrus was head of The Royal Guard and asserted himself and cleaned the whole town up. Now it's the safest place this side of The Capital! Really glad those two strode into town." As Frisk heard more about the town her smile only grew, Papyrus and Sans had saved the town. There was more to the brothers than she thought.

Frisk's happy go lucky demeanor seemed to catch Mae's attention which put a smile on her face, "It's nice to see a smiling fresh face round these parts. So sugar bun lets 's talk wares." She gestured to the spread that she had laid out on the counter. It was a mix of things all with colorful labels and an interesting signature which she just made out as MTT. It was the same brand, though she was beginning to think it was the only brand around here, that Toriel had in her home.

The items laid out before her were all different. One of them was a spiked metal glove of some sort. A black bandana with some kind of white print on it. There was a plastic-wrapped neon green popsicle with two sticks, little bunny shaped what looked to be a cinnamon bun, a pack of gummy candy in the shape of little monsters, and a cake in the shape of a carrot. She scanned over the items deciding on what she would possibly need. She rummaged through her satchel to pull out all the gold she could find. As she placed the pieces on the counter she counted that she had about 150 G in the pouch. There was no way that she could afford the gauntlet not that she remotely wanted the thing. It was technically considered a weapon and therefore not a necessity. She decided on three items which would leave her with enough G for potentially other items in the future, "Let's see. I will take the cute little gummies, the cake, and the bandanna please." Mae placed a hand over her mouth and chuckled. She must have thought Frisk was cute buying so many sweets, "Sure thing sugar bun that's 90 G in total." She gently slid forward the gold with a smile, "Thank you."

Mae began to clean up the counter as Frisk dropped the remaining G in her little pouch to place in her satchel. Her fingers fiddled with the buckles for a moment before she pulled the bag open. She folded back the flap and began to place the items she had purchased inside for safe keeping. She was unsure how much it would hold. She was happy that it was a relatively good size for all the things that she had placed within it already. When she was done with the menial task she looked up to see Mae on high alert with her ears stick straight as she tried to peer out the window. Out of nowhere, there were voices, others were coming into the shop and if they spotted the human not only would Mae pay but so would Frisk.

The kind emerald eyed shopkeeper quickly motioned for the girl to meet her around the counter and hide behind it just as the bell jingled. Frisk clutched her satchel in front of her with her heart racing as Mae had pretended to look busy behind the counter. She really was a sweet person going to all this trouble to keep her safe. She didn't even dare to take a peek through the glass case toward the new customers. She did not hear the chink of armor so that was a good sign at least and Mae seemed to relax when the two came through the door. She immediately perked up with a cheery voice to welcome the newcomers, "Felix and Jester! How are you two lads holding up?" Mae glanced at Frisk for a moment and decided it might be best to keep her presence in Snowdin more covert.

The one sounded as if its voice was at a tiny squeak like that of a mouse, "Hi Miss Mae. We just wanted to stock up on...on supplies for our camp out tonight! R….Right Jester?" The second of the two monsters sounded sophisticated with a soothing mid-range voice, "Of course Felix. We heard that a human was seen exiting the old door to The Ruins though I must be frank I care more for the company of a friend than hysterics and politics. It is possible that this human may end our imprisonment or perhaps not. Either way, we should all smile and count that which we have." Mae nodded her head sympathetically, "Very right there Jester. You've always been a ray of positivity in our little town." She placed her paw like hands on her hips, "So what can I do for you boys?" The one that she assumed was Felix she could hear jumping up and down while the second one spoke in turn, "Quite so Miss Mae. Come now Felix you are going to injure yourself jumping about in such a way." Frisk heard a light tap wondering what had happened.

Her curiosity got the better of her as she peered through the case to see a set of black boots hidden beneath a reddish orange cloak. She could just make out a scarf draped over the counter and hanging off the edge. It was a striped scarf that was bright green and forest respectively. It swayed back and forth next to a pair of similar black booted legs. The two that had come in did not seem hostile in any way but she did not want to take her chances. If she wanted to make it out of this town alive then she had to be smart about who she trusted even though deep down she just wanted to trust everyone. That had not worked out so well for her in the past. She rested in her hiding spot listening to the three talk about the freshly fallen snow and their apparent camping trip. Mae shuffled through some drawers setting what looked to be a tea box on the counter along with a box that was a cream color decorated with little chocolate bars and whip cream. She also set a bag on the counter that she just got a glimpse of before it vanished from her line of sight. The bag said marshmallow spiders on it.

She spent a second or two trying to piece together what the two had purchased and how it was a supply for a camping trip in the snow. It suddenly hit her that it might be hot chocolate and the other tea. It was freezing out after all so what better way to warm the soul than with a nice hot chocolate beverage? There was another light tap on the glass as Felix spoke, "Thank you, Miss Mae, please tell Max and Rae to give them our love o…..ok?" The second, Jester as she remembered hearing, also spoke, "Yes please give your entire family our regards and do take care of yourself Miss Mae with the human running around we fear for your safety."

Frisk felt bad that they thought she might cause them harm when all she desired was to do the opposite but just like humans long ago that fear of the unknown continued to drive their perceptions. She hardly blamed them for the characterization as she had received the same treatment only about the monsters instead. Mae stashed her revenue and waved as the two exited the shop leaving it in silence after the chime of that little bell, "They are gone sweet pea you can come out now."

Frisk was so grateful for Mae and her kindness as she crawled on her knees for a moment to begin to stand, "Thank you. I am sorry I am causing you so much unneeded trouble." The shopkeeper shook her head slowly with that smile still on her face, "Not at all sugar bun. I chose to help you ain't that right? I almost had to hold in a laugh when those two thought a sweet thing like you would be dangerous." She gently scratched the back of her head sheepishly, "I don't want others to think that of me." A warm gentle hand fell on her shoulder, "Don't worry dear they will understand in time. In the end, we are all prisoners and you're just tryin to make your way." She nodded gently feeling more and more tired. She did not remember the last instance that she had slept properly. It felt so long ago all the way back at Toriel's.

Mae seemed to notice as she moved the hand that was resting on the top of her shoulder to the center of her back, "You look absolutely wiped out peach pie. Why don't you rest at the Inn for a while? You will never make it to Waterfall in that condition. My sister runs the Inn right next door. Just tell her I sent you on over free of charge." Her eyes widened in surprise, "Oh no I couldn't possibly not for free. You have done so much for me and I-" She was cut off, "Now now sugar you are one of my valuable customers and that means you are going to be treated right you hear?" All she could do was nod her head gently. How could she refuse such a kindness shown to her, "Thank you."

Mae patted her back before leaning against the counter like she had the first time she had met the bunny shop owner. She was happy she had taken the chance to open the door. She heard Mae's soft southern twang as she headed for the door, "Take care of yourself hun. The guards should all be at Grillbys by now so you should have no trouble heading next door. Sleep tight." She could not keep the smile off her face as she nodded in gentle affirmation and exited the shop to end up once again the Snowdin cold. The Building next door had a neon sign unlike the shop and read, Inn, in big bold green letters. As she opened the door she was met with a gentle warmth just like in the shop next door. She slowly approached the counter before being surprised by a small little rabbit.

His attire was something you might find a well-scholared professor to wear which was a stark contrast to the things she had seen before. The little bun ran right up to her with his pretty cyan eyes sparkling. They almost were so vibrant that if one turned off the lights they might have glowed she mused to herself. He was not purple like Mae but rather a light blue. It matched his pretty eyes that were hidden behind comically large circular purple glasses. She wondered if there was one of every kind of colored rabbit monster. He wore a cream-colored button-up shirt with a little orange bowtie. His sweater vest was a bright purple that shimmered when it caught the light. She noticed cutely that it had little carrots and bowties on it. He even wore a pair of khaki colored pants with adorable little orange sneakers the look was complete with a purple backpack that was thrown just over his shoulder.

The entrance of the little bun was interrupted by the sound of another soft southern voice, "MAX?!" The little bun turned his head and spoke with arms folded with a roll of his eyes and a small lisp, "I'm in tha entryway way mum." He may have been dressed formally but his posture indicated a rather aloof teenage attitude. He still looked adorable and not in the least scared of her, so his name was Max? What a cute little bunny.

Another shout sounded from around the corner before the owner of the voice strode into view. She was yet another rabbit very similar to Mae. Her fur was pink bordering violet with vibrant green eyes. Her hair reminded her a lot of her own but it was a deep amethyst color with a little white rabbit barett holding the hair to her left. She wore a light grey bralette that peaked out from the cut out in her off the shoulder purple knit top. She had a deep purple apron tied around her waist and a black leather pencil skirt. She wore no shoes but rather a pair of black garter straps holding up some reddish brown leggings. She looked a lot more risque than her sister but the kind aura she had was no different. At first, her eyes darted to the little bun, "Oh my stars Max get over here right this instant!" The little bun complained about being a big grown monster as the Innkeeper came closer, "Miss I don't know what you want but please I beg of you to leave my precious carrot cake out of it. He didn't do anything I reckon."

Frisk smiled gently and pat little Max on his head which he just huffed and fixed his falling glasses back onto his little button of a nose with his whiskers twitching, "Muuuuuummmm stttoppppp." She could hear her held breath relax as she pulled away from her boy, "Oh no I would never. I was asked to come here and find a room by your sister. I told her I wanted to pay but she kindly offered to pay for me. I just need a place to rest." The Inn's land rabbit had her ears pulled back in a ponytail but that did not mean that she could not spot the little reactions her ears made for each emotion, "Oh dear me. Mae sent you? I...forgive my manners miss, can't be too careful round these parts." She just nodded her head with a sympathetic smile, "Yes I know. It's alright I understand." She moved to the counter to stand in front of a book, "Where are my manners you must think I was raised in The Ruins. My name is Rae Anne just like my sis. You can call me Rae if you like Miss. Let's see about getting you some shut eye." It was nice that the two ladies treated her to so well as Rae stared at the book for a moment and smiled, "Let's keep your name off the book huh, sweet potato?"

Frisk could not agree more as she was lead to a nice cozy room. When the door fell closed she didn't even bother to notice her surroundings. She quickly shut off the light plunging the entire room in darkness and collapsed on the soft bed she now lay atop of. She prayed for the nightmares to stay at bay so she could finally get some much-deserved rest. The day had been long and after so many puzzles and nearly forfeiting her life on a bridge rigged to charbroil her she desperately needed rest for her weary limbs. Her eyes slid closed and soon she fell into a deep sleep. The comfort of the little room provided her the ability to keep the paranoia and fear away. She sank deeper and deeper until finally, she was completely asleep washing away all the pains and trepidations of before. It was just her and a nice soft fluffy cloud.

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛** **11** **t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

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	18. Welcome to Snowdin

Summary:

Frisk awakes to find herself well rested from the previous night of death-defying puzzles and traps. The small rabbit monster family were kind enough to let her spend the night at the Inn. The journey seems to be just a little bit brighter with the kind monsters she is meeting along the way. There is, however, a catch. When a light shines so brightly others try to darken it, corrupt it, snuff it out. A danger lurks in the shadows.

{DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains strong dark themes such as PTSD, psychological trauma, sexual advances, and implied NON-CON. This is the darkest chapter that has been published to date. This is a huge warning for the content within. I condone any such actions and you must understand that this is a work of fiction. All my choices are purposeful no matter how cruel they may appear. If you wish to skip this chapter due to the disclaimer I will add a summary to the end so that others can still understand what is happening. Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

 **Welcome to the Underworld** **  
**{Log 2: Snowdin

Entry 6: Welcome to Snowdin}

Frisk had no nightmares that impeded her slumber as it was much too deep. The levels of exhaustion placed upon her weary body had caused the poor girl to knock out. Not even the most monstrous of sounds could wake her from such a peace. She was free to roam a land filled with only the joys that the world outside her own mind kept zealously to themselves. She dreamed of a better world. One where the monsters and humans lived together on the surface. It was the promise of a coexisting promise for both sides. She had a family of her own that loved and cared about her as she walked the streets of her dreamscape of a city. It may have been what the world would have looked like had the monsters changed their ways and the barrier had been irreparably shattered.

Along the streets, two human children played with a bird and cat-like monster of the same stature. Her face pulled into a warm smile as she felt her soul brighten with the smiles of their own. It was an ideal world. She even recognized Max standing by his mother Rae at some point. There was Doggo and IC. All the monsters that she had encountered that helped her along the way sent warm smiles and waves her direction. Nothing could break this happiness that began to swell within her soul as she continued walking only to accidentally run into two familiar faces that caused her to freeze on spot. She tried to pull away but Sans grabbed at her arm forcefully pulling her forward and ruffling her hair. He had a huge smile on his face and instead of the cold, menacing, calculating, and sadistic eye lights she had nightmares about. Their ruby glow was soft and inviting instead, "Hey kiddo whatcha not sayin hi for?" Frisk did not know what to say before a familiar shadow loomed over her, "WELL BROTHER PERHAPS THE HUMAN IS HAVING A TRYING DAY."

They were being nice to her? So casual too. She felt like everything was hanging on some kind of remote precipice and as time crawled in it would send her careening into a black pit of despair. The two skeletons glanced at each other with worried expressions etched into their faces, "Uh…. kid ya ok?" What was going on? Surely this was not real. No. This was just the happy little corner of her subconscious. The skeleton brothers being nice? Everyone getting along? That was not the Underworld. She could not help the tears that began to burn at the corners of her eyes only causing the two to furrow their eyebrows in even more concern than before, "GREAT SANS YOU MADE FRISK CRY." Sans looked defensive with his hands up trying to look as innocent as possible. He stepped in front of Frisk and lightly placed his hands on her shoulders, "Frisk why ya cryin? Somethin I said? Ya know Pap an I were just comin ta pick ya up from Tori's but if ya don't wanna come…"

She could not help the tears that slowly began to drip down her cheeks. She had somewhere she belonged with friends and a family by her side. All things that she had only known in the beginning of her life that had been cruelly torn from her grasp tossing her behind gold plated bars. She looked up at him and Boss. They both genuinely were looking after her. The feeling was like sticking one's heart inside the gaping jaws of a vice. The crank would slowly turn causing the fragile organ to suffocate under the pressure. She smiled reassuring the two that she was just fine as she walked in a daze behind them. They were both having a conversation and yet her mind only pieced together a kind of static. She did not know much about the two brothers at all and so her mind struggled to keep up its appearances. It was horribly cruel.

The voices in front of her were barely discernible as the static grew in volume. The bright city block began to drain of life. The vibrant cherry reds dulled and faded painting the fake utopia in a lifeless monochrome. It began to break apart like a jigsaw puzzle. A figure cloaked in broken code and glitches appeared before her. Her eyes flew open leaving her once again staring at some kind of ceiling in a place that she feared she may never escape. That once blissful dream vanished as a whisper lingered just at her awakening. A broken static filled whisper. All she could see was its lips as it spoke within its glitched veil.

*This is what you want isn't it?

She could feel her nose running as she attempted to keep her emotional conflict at bay. She was unsure what was worse. The blissful fantasy that her mind had constructed purely from those around her or the nightmares that clawed their way into her skin tearing and rending the flesh bare until the very bone lay exposed? She rolled to her side and covered her head with the maroon comforter. Why did she want to be accepted by all of them so desperately? One always searches for the love of many but to have it be the two that wanted to do her the most harm in this situation was borderline unstable. A few minutes had passed as a long-held sigh escaped her before she threw off the comforter that kept her prisoner to the ugly mistress that was sleep. The room was completely dark save for a small purple glow that emitted from the wall opposite of her. The soft violet was just enough to illuminate the switch that controlled the lamp within the room. She had not taken the time to examine the room prior to her passing out.

The gentle click was followed by a golden light that eased into the room by a dimmer. At least the light did not intend to burn her eyes like it had done a few other times. She raised her hands over her head hearing her lower vertebrae relieve tension and pop rewardingly. She had not quite realized just the physical strain that had been placed on her body just walking through the woods. That strain did not account for the running, the holding on for dear life, and the avoidance maneuvers from the day prior. She was grateful to have a warm bed to rest her head and re-energize thanks to Mae and her family. She did not know how she was ever going to repay their kindness. One day.

She glanced around the room for a moment noticing all the little homey details that were present. The little heart floor mat was a nice touch. She noticed some pictures on the walls that looked like lithographs. It showed the beginning of the Inn and what Snowdin had looked like when it was first founded. She was curious as to how old it may have been. It was a long time ago that the monster human war had come to pass but how long exactly? The actual dates had been lost through civil unrest and the shifting of human progress. She decided it may be best to begin to head downstairs now that she had the rest she so desperately needed.

Frisk slowly made her way down the steps after exiting her room sliding her hand over the dark-colored banister. It would appear that the monsters had mastered the art of making deep and dark woods feel at place in such warm lighting when usually it would have been the opposite. When she made it to the bottom she peaked around the corner to make sure that there were no unsuspecting visitors that she might accidentally bump into. The coast was entirely clear as she examined the lobby.

The little Inn was sparsely decorated but still had a homeyness to it that made her feel safe. The walls were painted a nice shade of orange and matched the baseboards and molding at the far wall of the room. A single floor lamp illuminated the space in the far right-hand corner making the walls glow like a soft sun. There was a bookshelf on the left-hand side of the wall with a series of brightly colored bindings decorating each shelf. Her eyes fell on the painting that lay just behind the L shaped concierge desk directly in front of her. The painting was what looked to be a landscape overlooking a series of mountains and a city nestled in the distance. The background was washed in a beautiful mix of oranges, yellows, pinks, and purples. A beautiful and serene sunset. The monsters had been underground so she had to wonder if this was from the mind of the artist or a relic from the past? She turned her attention away to notice a pair of teal ears pop up from behind the counter. It was the little bunny Max that she had met earlier. His ears twitched as he had fallen asleep in his chair reading. He was so different from the rest of the inhabitants she had come across. She almost wanted to look for a blanket for the little bun to bundle up in.

As she pulled away from the sleeping rabbit she decided to take a seat on the red couch that lay just to the right nestled against the wall. She wanted to personally thank Rae and Mae one more time before she continued with her journey even if her prolonged stay added to her chances of being apprehended by The Guard. She also had to keep in mind that she needed to use the star to cement her progress so far. She rested her back against the firm vinyl cushions and waited patiently for one of the bun family to appear.

It was Rae that came down the steps to greet her as she searched for her son. It was cute that she had such an adorable boy but she had to question the rabbit's fashion tastes, especially for a mother. The purple furred bunny came to stand in front of her with a confused expression on her face, "Oh dear oh me. What are you still doin here carrot cake?" Frisk just smiled gently, "I just wanted to thank you to you and your family again for being so kind and giving me a place to rest. Rae's expression softened, "Oh of course hun. Do come back if you can. You best continue on we wish you all the best." The words would have brought tears to the lonely humans' eyes but it was interrupted by a thunk that came from what seemed to be the bookshelf in front of them. The noise came again before the case slid open revealing a flustered Mae. The long braid that she had seen neatly woven before was askew and unraveled. Her ears were down, "By my stars you need to come here sugar bun! The Guard was just in my shop. They have a new decree from Papyrus and King Asgore! They will be here any minute. Come along sugar."

Frisk's moment of happy acceptance was, of course, short-lived as the news caused her stomach to drop in response. The Guard was after her before but this sounded much more serious. She didn't hesitate as she followed Mae into the bookshelf door that had swung outwards from her panic. Just as the door closed she heard a commotion from the Inn lobby, "We have been tasked to find and capture this human! Have you seen the human?" She could not be sure but she thought she heard at least five voices from the other side. The Guard was out in full force and they were all looking for her. The worst part about all of this was that their canine senses they could sniff out her location. The fear was starting to slowly rise up within her as Mae gently took her hand leading her down a short hallway and back into her shop.

Frisk eyed the shiny floorboards warily as her voice squeaked out, "I don't want to trouble you any more. The Guard they could implicate you and I…" She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, "You remember what I said before hun? We wanted to help you it will all be fine. The guards already checked the shop so you will be safe till they leave this area." Her dainty human hand came to rest upon soft fur, "I don't know what to say." Just like Toriel, Mae, had a strange kind of motherly protection in her that warmed Frisk's soul. She hardly knew what a mother was but she could remember little things like the feeling. It was something that she would never forget. She raised her head and smiled, "Yes I do. I will never forget this." The shopkeeper patted her gently on the shoulder before moving to pull back one of the curtains to peer outside. She was on the lookout for The Guard. That feeling of hopelessness stayed buried within her for now as she sat on the floor. She noticed that the glass case had some odd items in it. Now was not the time to mention strange pairs of sunglasses and giant Edison style light bulbs that glowed without a power source.

She could hear Mae occasionally pulling aside the curtain back to peak outside in order to let her know if the coast was clear. After a while, all that could be heard was a soft sigh, "Well darlin looks like The Guard is in full force. It may take some time for them to leave. Hey, carrot cake why don't we share a perfectly delicious cinnamon bun? It's homemade we make them all from scratch. On the house." Frisk was not going to pass up a nice warm meal as she nodded her head gently. Mae cleaned off some items from the counter and placed a couple of plates on the glass tabletop. She disappeared for a moment before returning. The smell of cinnamon sugar swirled around the room leaving her mouth watering. What lay on the tray was a beautiful golden brown cinnamon roll in the shape of a rabbit.

She did not even dig in immediately she just marveled at the craftsmanship. It even came with a little chocolate face gently pressed into the crust. The mark of any good pastry like the one in front of her was the dough. She gently pulled it apart creating a thin sheet of flaky crust before it separated. She placed the pastry into her mouth and just savored the cinnamon, the sugar, the chocolate, and of course that buttery flaky dough with just the right amount of chew to it. Every single thing she had eaten within the Underworld was absolute bliss. She could not help but half muse to herself that they could open their own bakeries and food shops on the surface. Mae seemed to be staring intently at her with big green eyes expecting some kind of response to her homemade sweet. Frisk finished chewing and swallowed leaving her mouth respectfully clear to speak, "It's absolutely delicious Miss Mae. Thank you very much for the treat. I was never allowed to eat sweets before I fell down here." She was grinning from ear to ear as she finished off her rabbit shaped pastry.

Mae smiled in return before standing and checking the outside for any of The Guard. In the short amount of time that they had their little impromptu breakfast the guards stationed had moved on to other locations some may even have been backtracking through Snowdin Forest, "I think the coast is clear now carrot cake." Her paw lingered on the pulled back drape within her hand. She was looking at Frisk with a motherly concern on her face before she smiled. Frisk could tell it was a smile that spoke volumes about how much the shopkeeper was concerned for her safety, "That's great I will be able to continue. Thank you for everything." She stood and patted the supply-filled satchel at her hip. The contents made a small jingling noise before she gave Mae a small reassuring smile, "I would love to come back and have another one of your cinnamon rolls Miss Mae." The rabbit's ears visibly dropped before that kind motherly and warm smile graced her face. It was accompanied by a small pat on her head, "You better hun. You take care of yourself ya hear? Sugar bun be careful of those two skeletons especially the younger. You are a far too pretty young lady." She nodded gently with a soft smile gracing her face before she mentioned the brothers. She could understand Papyrus but why Sans? Sure he was a flirty jerk but something told her he was not going to kill her anymore because there was no point to it anyway. There was something that Mae was keeping from her and the mention of her being pretty was strange. She smiled at the compliment even if the mood within the shop had suddenly shifted. That was the last words that they both exchanged as Frisk pushed the cool golden handle forward into the cold air leaving the warmth of the little shop behind.

Just as the door clicked closed she began to observe her surroundings. The area appeared to be free of any guards. In fact, the streets were free of any living soul which is exactly how she had entered. It was not a stretch to logically conclude that the guard had scared the other townspeople into their homes as they hunted for her. There was one thing left to do before she began to venture deeper into the little town, save. If there was anything that she had learned being a prisoner in this strange magical world was that she needed to always be on her guard. The stars brought her a strange power and warmth. Most importantly, however, they brought her back from death to the spot she had last interacted with one. It would be interesting to experiment more with the idea but she certainly did not want to continuously keep perishing. She did not know why but though the pain of the death was not too great something deeper seemed to be affected. It was chipping away slowly.

The star was where it always was just sparkling off to the side of the Inn and Mae's shop. As she lay her hands upon it she felt as though she was slowly collecting the hearts and minds of those she had met and saved them along with her. She was beginning to feel less and less alone as she smiled gently thinking of everyone that had been kind to her this far. It was however just the beginning and what lay down that snowy path was a giant unknown. A vast path with twists and turns that she would never be able to predict. She stood making one final save before she once again continued her journey. She could feel that no matter the challenges ahead she would be able to face them. She was determined to face them all.

Snowdin town was like any small town. It had a simple layout and the only places to go were the essentials. It was a quiet only illuminated by the soft glow from windows and streetlights. They were reminiscent of gas lamps from what she could recall but housed something other than a small flickering flame. The lights that stretched around the Townsquare gave off a soft purple glow as they were filled with what appeared to be gemstones or crystals. Their natural glow added to the ambiance of the snowy road she now took to reach the center of the town. The house to her left was in a log cabin style with dark wood accents and small round windows set on either side. The door also was carved into a kind of circle with a large doorknob that reflected the lavender glow of the lights surrounding the area. Everything around just seemed so warm which contradicted the natural harsh cold weather of the area.

At the very center of town was a statue of a very familiar figure. It was, of course, a statue of Boss with a menacing looking ax embedded in the pedestal on which the effigy stood. She was starting to realize more and more just how everyone saw the status of the guard here. Papyrus was a figure within their community almost a celebrity by the way he had his own statue. There was even a crimson scarf tied around his skeletally carved neck. It blew in the wind gently creating a soft flapping noise as she brushed off some of the snow that had obstructed the plaque below, "To our protector and liberator Papyrus Fontaine we the humble people of Snowdin Town bestow this statue in your honor. Thank you for saving our town." She blinked a few times just staring at the indentations. She remembered that Mae told her that Snowdin used to be a rough town but Papyrus had cleaned it up. The idealized statue was just more proof that the little town was a kind of safe haven for weaker monsters. Papyrus had a good heart even if he was a little scary she was sure of it.

She stood to her feet looking up and admiring the statue for herself only to give pause at the unpleasant odor that assaulted her nose. It was coming from the direction she was heading toward. She unbuckled the straps keeping the flap of her bag closed and rummaged around in her newly equipped satchel to find what she was looking for. It was the black bandana that she had purchased from Maes. She pulled it from the bag and held it up to realize with a look of surprise and agitation that the white designs that she had seen before were not designs at all. They were, in fact, a print. A print of a skeletal grin and nose. The universe must be getting their ya ya's because she sure as stars wasn't. She grumbled softly shoving it back into her bag. This was not amusing in the slightest. She blocked the majority of a cough-inducing smoke coming from the building just a few paces away with a pale hand. The lights that had lent their glow along the pathway had disappeared leaving only the burning neon light of a giant sign. She did not even have to walk too far away from the town square to see it. It was not exactly subtle.

The building in question was massive compared to the other buildings in town. It had to be a least three levels high possibly more. It towered over the snowy landscape in a kind of ostentatious debauchery. The building was flecked with shards of purple crystal against an onyx backdrop. It's exterior looked like that of lava rock that was cut into brick-like pieces. It reminded her of something you might find in a cave, fitting considering they were all trapped underground in a mountain. The stone had a rough texture to it and jutted out in various places looking like shelves upon the massive slab of stone. It comprised the exterior of the entire building catching the purple light from the doorway that leads to the establishment. She was fortunate enough that there was no guard posted in front of the establishment or else she would be in big trouble.

The giant metal double doors stood out amongst a palette of amethyst and charcoal. There appeared to be no windows which not only made her uncomfortable but also made her suspicious of exactly what kind of establishment it was. The sign that was placed overhead was giant, neon, and purple sitting on a black and silver overhang with the word 'Grillbys' on it. On either side, a row of flame like walls were lit in a mixture of violet, blue, and pink. It was honestly very pretty not to mention eye-catching. There was a set of deep purple velvet ropes blocking off the entrance. She highly doubted that it was a good idea at all to enter a seemingly ostentatious establishment and she could have sworn that she had heard about this 'Grillbys' before from Doggo.

She was out in the open observing the building in front of her with a mixture of curiosity and fear on her features. She could not exactly pinpoint what this place was. The decor and architecture caused her to assume it was some kind of club or bar. It was not the best idea to stand out in the open in any case as her eyes attempted to adjust from the neon blaze overhead to the darkness of the rest of the town. She was afraid that at any moment she might end up with a spear in her back or something much much worse. At least it did not feel as open as Snowdin Forest where at every turn she felt as though some other danger lurked around the next corner. It was not too far off either considering the number of puzzles and traps she had either solved or evaded. Now she just had to worry about The Guard and their overly charismatic and intimidating leader, Boss.

Frisk slowly moved away from the giant building only to come across a pathway leading to her left. The streetlamps that had disappeared before now stood in the middle of some of the intersections within the town. Their magical glow lit the way to more residential areas. As far as she could tell there was no reason to begin to head into a more populated area. That would only increase her risk of being caught by The Guard. She was unsure how the rest of the monster population would react to a human girl walking in their neighborhood. She would be outed for sure. Instead, she decided to continue her journey only to find herself in front of an ochre brick building. Some of the bricks within the foundation were different shades of mauve and brown most likely replaced due to damage. The foundation was cracked as she examined the building from a safe distance. It's snow-covered roof and awnings nearly bowed under the weight.

There was silence and not a single speck of light within the place which led her to the assumption that it was abandoned or no one bothered to use it. A sign hung overhead the door which read 'Librarby'. Did they mean library? It looked like someone had attempted to make a joke out of the name by painting over it in red and adding a few extra letters. The sign was clearly misspelled. It was a shame to see that such a house of knowledge was dilapidated as it was. It reminded her of her life as a prisoner and how the company of books was the only one she kept. Not by choice but by necessity. The door to the library was a deep charcoal grey with panes of glass that formed an arch at the top and segmented into two perfectly spaced columns. To the right, a diner like handle vertically spanned the height of the door. There was a series of windows on each side. One to the left of the entrance and three to the right. Some of them were chipped or had massive cracks within them though they had not yet shattered. She moved away from the building.

The brief moment of silence was torn when she heard a snap of a twig. The familiar sound shot a shiver up her spine as she froze in place. The sound was coming closer. The first time this had happened she had stood there and waited which had only led to her own untimely death. This time she was not going to be so careless. It was important to be kind and forgiving in this world that she now found herself but that did not mean to be careless either. As much as she wished for the climate of her arrival to be different the fact was that the monsters here were tasked to capture or kill her. As Flowey had said before they could have worse intentions than either of those two options. She did not want to know what that could possibly entail and she was not about to find out. Now she heard the crunch of snow as her hand flew toward the handle of the library.

The handle burned her skin with its icy kiss before she yanked the door open and fled into the dark of the building. She was not sure where she was going but anything would be better than just standing out in the open and succumbing to another horrifying death. Her legs carried her into the darkness hiding behind the musty and dusty bookshelves that towered above her like menacing skyscrapers. She waited with bated breath as she tried to listen for the sound of the one that was approaching. All she could feel and hear was her heart beating painfully against her chest. The adrenaline that rushed through her veins kept her on edge, eyes flicking to and fro within a darkness that she could only make out shapes if anything at all.

She found herself moving deeper into space. Her fingers brushed against leather bindings and dusty tomes. The distinct smell of parchment hung in the air making it stale and thick. She used to love the smell of old books but now all she could focus on was the fear rising up within her. She was sure that the individual that had caused her to hide in the abandoned library had seen her duck inside. Thank goodness the place was unlocked albeit inconvenient for security. She took a step back only to hear the crunch of various binding and pages strewn about the floor. They crumpled at her feet as she tried to hide. Once again enveloped by the darkness all alone.

The shelves behind her pressed firmly against her spine as she slid down to curl her knees up into her chest. If she hid in the darkness maybe she would not be spotted. That was all she could hope for. All she could do was wait and beg that she would survive this encounter. As she sat there the veins of the dark began to slowly creep their way toward her. They slithered to bind and invade her mind. The same sensation from before when she traversed the bottom cellar of Toriel's home. Those terrifying thoughts that were brought to life by her vivid imagination. They had been slowly digging their spider-like limbs into her subconscious firmly rooted causing lacerations and bleeding.

Her hands came up to tangle themselves within her auburn hair digging into the scalp in an effort to break free of the darkness. Her breathing became labored as giant blue eyes dilated to small horrified dots. Her entire body began to quiver and tremble to cause her knees to lightly knock against each other. It was all coming so fast. All the information and all the realization of what lay before her. She could hardly breathe as everything began to spiral out of control. One second after the other her panic rose to leave her in the arms of fear. She had died so many times and yet that did not mean that she did not fear death. All that self-doubt. All that struggle with one's inner voice. It began to scream at her from the depths of her torn mind. Her eyes screwed shut trying to block it from her thoughts but it just continued to pound her like a waterfall coming to break upon her fragile body. The weight was suffocating.

All she could smell was blood, all she could hear was the sharpening of metal upon metal or the snap of muscles and tendons. At her feet, the blood pooled sickeningly drenching her shaking limbs. She felt and could see the sharpened bones one by one rammed into her arms and legs or the fire that began to wrap its burning claws around her throat. All she could hear were her own screams of agony and the laughter of two. It was all in her mind but to the tortured human now panicked on the floor, it was reality.

One might have thought that she would have been a sobbing mess at such horrors and yet she did not have the opportunity to do so. When one's mind finds itself spiraling out of control the process of logic eludes one's grasp. The fears which now began to consume her had been very much real perhaps within a different time and place but those memories left permanent marks. Ones that were not physical or so it would appear.

She began to shake her head slowly back and forth in an effort to break free. She only came to her senses when she heard the door that she had entered from, creak open. The time that she had spent stuck within the tar pit of her own darkness had only lasted for mere moments when it felt as though it had been hours. The concept of time had slowed to a halt from it all leaving her confused as the noise drew closer. There was nowhere left to hide. Nowhere left to run. She slowly removed her shaking fingers detangling them from her hair. Her complexion was even paler than what it had been before. All in the span of a few moments.

She heard the flutter of a few pages that fell to the ground only to be crunched upon a few moments later. A soft creak crept into her ears as she tried to remain still and silent. One thump after the other and her once labored breathing began to stabilize. The only way that she would survive was if she pulled herself together. There was a distinct sound of a book tumbling to spill its page like guts across the floor as the noise drew ever closer. The monster was closing in now and with each new sound that filled her ears and more hyper-aware, she became. She could hear her heartbeat, the soft rasp of her breath, and the pop of her own joints as she kept a tight grip on her curled up legs. There was another creak from around the corner of the shelf she was now pressed against.

She could feel the small drop of sweat that ran down the side of her cheek as the building seemed to grow in heat. It was a stark contrast to the cold winter air that awaited her outside. Was there any possible chance that she would be able to make a run for it? No, she had waited much too long to do an action like that. All she could do was wait and pray that she was not spotted. Her eyes stayed trained on the shape of the shelf where the creeping sounds had originated only for her to see something materialize out of the darkness.

It slowly materialized from the darkness to grab onto the shelf with long boney claw-like hands. A pair of black fingerless gloves rested atop its knuckles glinting with golden spike rivets. She knew that hand. Those phalanges dug into the wood before he stepped from the shadows. It was of course none other than Sans who, as she had suspected, had been watching her the entire time. She did not know if she wanted to scream at him or just stay silent. She opted for the latter not wanting him to see her this way. She probably looked like a disheveled mess as he approached her with his red eye lights illuminating the darkness of the room. Why had he chased her in here? She did not like this, not one bit. A kind of claustrophobia was beginning to set in as she used a shaky arm to pull herself up from her sitting position. The last time that she was face to face with the terrifying skeleton with her back up against something it did not bode well for her. She was about to open her mouth to speak but instead, he did it for her.

Sans had seen the human enter through the doors of the library attempting to either hide or flee. Even if he did not want to admit it, she had proved herself in surviving thus far with that saccharine sweet attitude of hers. He knew that would not last and her trying to make friends with everyone she met was even more baffling. Surely she was not so dim-witted to trust just anyone with her life. She trusted him to some degree which led him to want to teach her a lesson, "There ya are doll. Thought ya could hide and run away from me did ya?" His eyes were glued to the girl as he noticed that she was not stable on her own feet. It looked to him that she had been shaken up quite a bit. The look in her deep blue eyes was mixed with a combination of unease and panic. At least she was learning.

Frisk had to hold herself together as she glared at him but she knew it was empty. She knocked over something on the shelf causing the contents to run over her fingers. A normal reaction would be to try and calmly remove the liquid but as she looked at her fingers the red substance caused her eyes to widen and shake. It looked like blood. She was still so shaken causing her labored breathing to return. Her lungs were burning from it all.

His expression, while he looked at her, was neutral at best accompanied with a lazy grin. His eye sockets were half-lidded awaiting a response that never came. He watched her entire body fidget and shake with a look of panic swimming in the depths of her eyes. They were clearly terrified by some mental demons. This girl was not going to last here if that kept happening. He didn't realize that his eye sockets were wide with what one might interpret as concern. It was not even him that she was scared of, "Hey doll snap outta it." He grabbed a hold of her hand showing her the palm of her hand forcefully, "Kitten it's just ink." He could not help it as his grin widened and pulled into a smirk, "It ain't blood if that's what ya think." It was like a default setting to him.

She could hardly hear the skeleton in front of her until he snatched her hand giving her some sense of logic to grasp onto to calm her panic-stricken mind. She was fine. She was safe. She had her head down while the second attack had taken place before she looked up at him. She did not like the smirk that pulled across his skeletal face. It always spelled trouble and she knew that Sans was handsy. She ripped her wrist from his grip and held it close to her, "W...what do you want Sans?" She gently settled back into her resolve to push forward as she moved out of her corner. She did not even give him the chance to answer as she made her way through a series of bowing bookshelves toward the exit. She was not going to hide in this place any longer especially since the scare has been a false alarm. She yanked the door open and stepped into the frozen landscape once more.

The cool air woke her even further from her previous state of mind as she stood with her back to the entrance of the library. There was no one around yet again. She was wondering if anyone even lived here or the other citizens were just afraid to walk outside. She hardly knew how much time had passed since she had begun to search the town. It was so hard to tell. There was essentially no time here. At least not by human standards as there was no rising or setting of the sun. There was no change in light that indicated one way or the other. It could be night and she would never know. All she knew was when she had fallen and even then time seemed to elude her grasp.

Frisk was about to take a step forward before she heard a noise that could only be classified as an incredibly fast rush of wind only to be met with a pair of skeletal hands on her shoulders. The sudden contact caused her entire body to stiffen. At least she had quickly avoided being trapped in the library. They lingered for a moment before sliding down her arms slowly. What was he doing and why was he doing it?

Sans had watched her leave without even letting him speak. He had not noticed so much before but this human girl was not a kid like the others had been. He did not even bother but now he was going to. He had a notorious reputation for being more than just a flirt. Every time he was near her he got a faint smell of orange blossom and golden flowers. It was such a sweet scent. He was starting to become less and less concerned about ending her life like the other brats. They had at least put up a fight. He found himself smirking more than usual as he teleported right behind the unsuspecting human placing his hands on her shoulders and leaning in close. He felt her body stiffen as he ran his fingers down her arms slowly. He was enjoying himself a little too much as that gentle fragrance of flowers drifted toward him the closer he got. He essentially had his chest against her back at this point. He didn't give a damn anymore as he fell back into his usual demeanor.

When he spoke it came out in a whisper that tickled her ear. It caused her to shudder as if she was unable to break free of the unwanted advances. He was pulling the same kind of attitude that he had when they first met only to do a full one-eighty and impale her with a sharp bone instead. She was not going to end up like that again as she broke free of his grip again making her way forward before she found herself within the blink of an eye staring into his haughty toothy skeletal face. His eye sockets were half-lidded but the lights within them were a bright red perhaps even more vibrant than she had seen before. This time he had her pinned and she gulped. Did he have the intention to kill her yet again? Had he changed his mind to just try and kill her again to end the cycle?

Sans' smirk only seemed to grow as he held her to the wall of the library pressing her body against the brick. He took a deep breath, her scent filled him and he found himself practically drowning in the feeling that flooded his mind. The thoughts swirled so much as he held her tightly in place. She would not get away... Not while he lived, "What say we head back ta mah place... kitten? Getcha... nice and..." His fingers trailed down her sides slowly feeling her shudder just from the simple touches, " warm. .." His voice tickled against her ear as something trailed along the lobe of her ear.

Frisk had no idea what in the Underworld was happening. This was not like before. Not at all. All she could think about was when he was going to murder her just like before. The only difference was that he had a completely different expression and one that she was not sure she liked. She opened her mouth to speak only to end up speechless. She could feel his warm breath against her ear only for her eyes to widen feeling something trailing along her earlobe slowly. The unwanted invasion of personal space caused her to let out a pitiful whimper. It was only then that she realized that it was his tongue as he pulled back. The logic that she had placed upon this world of monsters was beginning to crumble faster and faster. Her brain could not even process what was going on, "W...w...what… are you doing?" She could barely keep herself from stuttering.

Sans was taking his time which was not something he usually did as he ran a long wet, slick glowing red tongue over his teeth before speaking again. The look on her face was priceless. He just mused that she thought he would not be able to do half of the things he was doing, "What ya mean 'what am I doin'?" She made no move to pull away or even speak, "Ya not sayin no dere kitten~". Well then... He pulled her toward him releasing her from his hold against the wall to have her to fall into his chest. His fingers made quick work of pulling down the collar of her turtleneck sweater slowly drawing his tongue down her neck when it was out of the way, "Let's go getcha nice n warm baby~" The tone of his voice was dripping with seduction.

What was she expecting? A legitimate response? Sans seemed to only have three settings angry, flirty and smart ass. She should add creep to that list but right now it would be better to focus on what the HECK was going on. She was so flustered her brain could not function to its full capability at this point. She ended up with her hands pressed against the crimson fabric of his sweater in shock. He had pulled her forward keeping her against him. Her heart was hammering. Not only were they in the open but what was he doing exactly. Her breath was cut short for a moment when she felt his cool fingers tug at the collar of her sweater. What was he doing?!

She could not help but feel a chill run up her spine feeling his tongue slowly running up the exposed skin of her neck. She had to say something, "I...w...wha…I didn-" All she could do was shiver and not from the cold. She didn't even get the opportunity to say anything which she supposed was payback for earlier. As if in a blink, the exterior of the library melted away into a room Frisk had never seen before. It was Sans Bedroom. The cold of Snowin had disappeared entirely leaving her in a room. A room that she had never seen before. Her brain was finally functioning again as she attempted to pull away finally realizing that he had no intention to kill her like before. There was something else that he wanted as all she could do was weakly try to get him to stop, "S….Sans...s...s...stop."

The plea was lost on him as his hands remained on her hips. He was not one to take no for an answer and he wouldn't lie that he had thought about this before. Even with her gently trying to will her body to pull away it did not seem like it was listening, "What's wrong Frisk ? Just tryin ta warm ya up.~" His voice had gone from flirty and demanding to seductive and soft dripping with desire. She was starting to very minimally struggle which was only making the situation all the worse for her.

She did not know what to do this was clearly Sans room by the way he spoke and oh did his tone of voice cause her entire body to involuntarily shudder. He drew out her name on his tongue. He never called her by her name it was always a pet name. The change did not make her involuntary reactions any better. She knew what he wanted and it scared her. He did not know of her past. He did not understand or even care. She had to get out somehow but she was helpless as he continued his small actions from before. She could feel her cheeks turning a light pink as her eyes closed with her brows furrowing. She wasn't going to let him. At least that is what she thought before she ended up looking up at him wide-eyed clearly displaying her mix of emotions. As he leaned forward she could feel her heart thumping in her chest with a mix of fear and panic.

He could feel every shudder she made right before she ended up staring up at him with those wide blue eyes swirling with fear and panic. He had a taste for watching others squirm but she was legitimately terrified. He did not bother to find out why as he leaned forward to kiss those trembling lips keeping the poor human girl trapped. He felt her stop her shaking as he used his index finger to play with the hem of her sweater. That little kiss was distracting her enough. That's when he realized the door to his room was wide open. He raised his other unoccupied hand and snapped his fingers as the door fell closed.

"Sugar bun be careful of those two skeletons especially the younger. You are a far too pretty young lady."

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛** **11** **t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

End of Entry...

Notes:

* Courtesy Reader Summary*

As I stated I know the last section of this chapter may be difficult to read for some. In response to this, I have written a brief summary of the events so that even if someone feels uncomfortable reading the presented material they can still be caught up for the next chapter.

~Frisk awakens in Snowdin Inn  
~The Guard comes knocking on the bunny family doors trying to inquire about Frisk's whereabouts  
~As the Guard leaves so does Frisk forcing her outside  
~She passes Grillby's and the library  
~She is forced into the library due to paranoia where she has a psychological episode  
~She finds out it is none other than Sans who has switched from murderous jerk to now flirty creep  
~Sans does not take no for an answer  
~Frisk ends up in Sans room

/End of chapter/


	19. A Gilded Cage

Summary: Frisk awakens to find that not even nightmares bother her. She finds herself in a place that she would not expect. Nothing appears to add up and continuously feels out of place. There is much more to this story then first appears not unlike her skeletal jailor~ {DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains NOTHING bad whatsoever just fluff. Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

 **Welcome to the Underworld  
** _{Log 2: Snowdin_

 _Entry 7: A Gilded Cage}_

The world is a rather unforgiving and cruel mistress. The strong take advantage of the weak even if they refuse and fight back. There is no such thing in this life as a true pacifist. There are times when even the fabric of humanity can be torn to shreds only to lay at one's feet. No one is perfect. No one is blameless. The terrors of which rip our world asunder to lay waste to the degradation, the corruption, the greed, and the pain. Every action has consequences even if there fruition seems an ocean away. There will always be a reckoning. I must pause now, dear reader. I spoke before at the beginning of this journey that though not a work of pitch black this tale was not one for the faint of heart. The unnecessary cruel actions of others can be, unsettling. What you have rested your eyes upon in words past is exactly how you may interpret it and with a heavy heart I enlighten you dear reader that it is just as you assume. It is unfortunate to say as such actions are nothing but horrific but alas this is how the our story continues.

Frisk had been in worse situations than the one that had been placed upon her that very evening. It would appear that though traumatic, she was steadfast. The memories resurfaced from her time above this place. At first, it had been a blessing as she had been gifted with something few had witnessed. The very power that resided in the core of her soul, magic. The mark of a human mage. It was the only reason as to why she had been treated so lavishly in the thralls of her youth. She had one rule that she had to follow, obey. She was not to speak to others and would be taught post haste of what her new ability would mean for her livelihood.

She spent her days being spoon fed story after story about the existence of creatures comprised entirely of the magical rather than the physical. It was certainly a difficult tale to digest as a truth. The very existence of monsters was something that had to be invented for some other nefarious purpose. She had thought that for many years until they began to show her the proof. She was not a monster and yet a piece of their kind resided within her for magic was not originally meant for humanity. The rest of the humans around her had such poor muted souls within themselves, sickly yellows and greens but her's shone so bright. It made her who she was a soul of pure magical integrity. The older she became the more she was forced to learn of the cruelty of monsters. A propaganda meant to sway her mind into desiring the destruction of an entire race. They tried again and again in vain.

At first her room had been open and free. She lived in the lap of comfort and luxury until she slowly became their biggest disappointment. A weapon without a failsafe as she had heard them call her one time she had eavesdropped. That was when her disobedience came with punishment. She never was able to leave her gilded cage. There were bars on the doors and windows. She was a prisoner surrounded by everything she could ever want just to appease her. She was nothing more than a tool. A tool that was meant to be broken and repaired in a different fashion. Each shake of her head brought about the sting of a hand to her cheek. Each cry for freedom gave her broken bones and bruises. Still she stayed in her resolve. When one deterring method failed to work then others more inhumane than the last were employed. She was sadly no stranger to this type of treatment and overall that time she had buried it deep down. It was horrific and tragic and yet she continued to move on.

Frisk did not open her eyes for fear that what had transpired the following evening was not a dream at all. She should have classified it under a nightmare but even then a part of her could not classify it as such due to an unfortunate side effect of her upbringing. She had placed the events of life on a scale. A very high scale in which things of a horrifying nature to most were but things that one could bury and move forward. This was one such time. It was not her naivety that caused her to act in such a way but rather her programming. She had been inflicted by so much pain for so long that she did not want to inflict pain herself no matter the circumstance. She truly felt that things could change and that her existence would have been worthwhile if only for a moment.

She had not moved a single muscle from the spot that she now rested her head. It was surprisingly cozy and warm all things considered. She could feel her breath shakily leave her lips as she tried to muster up the courage to open her eyes or to move. It was only when she felt the tickle of warm breath on the back of her neck that they began to open. The sound that followed was that of a small whimper just audible enough for her to hear at such a close proximity. She slowly began to rotate her body shifting her hip to one side. Her body froze as something gently tightened around her. It was not difficult to notice but since her mind was still hazy from sleep it was a detail she had overlooked. There was something wrapped around her waist that was gently pulling her closer. She was thankful that she was fully clothed.

She felt the pressure of ribs on her back and skeletal fingers just narrowly grazing the top of the skin of her forearm. He was still fast asleep. The action of pulling her closer was a curious one. She moved to face the ceiling in which out of the corner of her eye she could see his face. One half of her told her to be terrified and the other was completely numb. It was a calm induced by years of repression and an unhealthy internalization of the cruelties of the world around her. Her heart did beat a little faster as she turned her head this time to see him more clearly. She did not know what to expect.

His face was peaceful with his eyebrow like bones turned upward. His normally menacing shark-toothed grin was relaxed and open just a small amount as he slept. He had nuzzled his face gently into her shoulder blade with a look of content on his face. He looked so... _different_. That still did not account for what he had done. His sockets were closed as she turned her head to stare up at the ceiling. She was in one of his short sleeve black t-shirts she finally noticed as the loose fabric drowned her small frame. As if empty all she did was stare upwards before sighing softly in response. Sans was not going to let her go anytime soon. She either would have to forcefully break his hold and wake him up or lay there already holding back her almost numb reaction to the entire situation. She was not stupid. If she tried to forcefully leave he would catch her. No, force was not going to work. He was much stronger and faster than her. She had to be smart about this... _somehow_.

Her mind began to spew rambling incoherent thought after incoherent thought. What was she supposed to do? She could feel her own soul being constricted by the mental and emotional burden. He felt so lost and hopeless. One horrible event after the other had plagued her, never-ending. The voice in her mind screamed at her to take up some kind of offence but even then, would she be able to harm anyone? Even if her life depended upon it? That was the point wasn't it? The truth behind this situation? She had started her journey hoping for a rest and yet here she was defying death in an almost infinite loop. Sans had said before that he was tired. She was as well. What was the point of life when it felt so monotonous? That nothing you did had consequences. It began to infect your mind implanting thoughts that the moral compass within oneself would reject. She had been grasping onto a hope. A small meager thread. As pointless as it all felt she continued on. Was this really living?

She was shaken, quite literally, from her thoughts as she felt the pressure on her waist slip off. Sans was awake or at the very least he moved his arm. That still did not account for the hand right by her head, however. He had been cuddling her like a stuffed toy this entire time. She did not want to speak nor did she want to look at him. It was all just a meaningless game to him. A way to pass the time. A way to cure boredom and he had used her to do it. _Unforgivable._

 _*Unforgivable_

She knew he was awake but she let the silence devour the entire room. She could feel him shifting so that he was at least sitting up. At this point, she had her back to him half hoping that he did not know she was awake. A bony hand came to rest on her bare shoulder. The shirt was so large and her frame so small that it was nearly entirely off the shoulder on one side. She waited for the moment that he would force her to look at him but it never came. In fact, he was oddly gentle as she felt his fingers just toying with her skin softly. He clearly did not know she was awake as she bit back the urge to shudder and yank herself away. He ended up once again burying his mouth against the back of her neck. That was enough to cause her to shiver unable to stomach it any longer. There was a soft growl from behind her followed by a gruff voice that made her skin crawl more than she would care to admit.

Sans had snapped. There was something inside of him that had caused him to lose it. He had watched her the entire way ever since she had passed his station. Well, more like was dragged past. His unneeded rage peaked causing him to drag her to the star. He remembered the first time he had seen one. It just slipped right through his fingers and yet he had watched her use it the first time. It had saved her. He had seen it. All the more reason to end this kid and get on with his miserable existence in this shit hole of a place. Her act did not work on him. The power that he thought he finally had some semblance of control over had exploded causing him to break like a fine piece of china. Her unwillingness to fight back drove him crazy pushing him past a boundary he knew he should have never crossed. If she was going to be so sweet and trusting he was going to prove her wrong! All her stupid bull shit about friendship and mercy would be taken from her.

He had lost his damn mind it would seem. Now as the crimson receded from his vision he ended up with a warm body beside him. He traced small patterns on the soft skin of her shoulder holding her close before feeling that involuntary shudder. He may have been a flirt but never this. The word festered in his mind. He leaned forward to speak to her but his voice came out in a growly rasp instead, "Mornin kitten.~" His crimson induced madness was for now at bay as he loosened his hold of her and sat up. He was in his white t-shirt of all things mostly because she was currently occupying his black one. He wasn't going to wear a turtleneck all the time especially not when he was home. It was much too hot for that. He swung his legs over the side to sit and stare out at the view.

Sans room was not as one would expect. It was neatly kept and oddly filled with reminders of his old life. He starred out onto the patio where the tops of a few trees could be seen from the cherry wooden banister. It had a light dusting of snow as he watched it lazily fall to combine with the rest. All of them conforming and nondistinguishable from the whole even though scientifically all snowflakes were unique. They were about as unique as fingerprints anyway. The human in question still refused to speak and just like before it was starting to irritate him.

He turned his body to speak before he was met with the palm of a hand. He was smacked squarely across the cheekbone causing him to just blink his sockets dumbfoundedly at her. She had just cracked him right across the face with her hand. The hit stung leaving a red mark on his cheekbone. He honestly was unable to comprehend the event that had just transpired all he could do was stare with his sockets wide leaving only little vertical lines of light in their inky depths. She had sat up just like he had done with her legs tucked underneath her. Her entire body was shivering as he stared into those deep blue eyes that sparkled with water. Her eyebrows were furrowed upward and her lips were trying desperately not to tremble. That dainty delicate pale palm that she had just used was now beginning to redden. He could only imagine it stung.

He rubbed at the mark on his cheek with his hand before his eye sockets narrowed. The look of utter disbelief had been wiped from this face to be replaced by a grin. She had some fire in her after all. He was just waiting for her to try and hurt him but she just did no such thing. She only wrapped her arms around herself as if she was freezing. He could see her hand quaking periodically from the slap she just dished him. He was wrong. It probably hurt more than stung. The sting from his own injury had already subsided as he attempted to piece together his next words, "Looks like yer up." That was it? That was all he could get out? He was unsure if he was still reeling from the earlier action or if he was just an idiot. He was leaning more toward the latter.

Frisk was starting to feel the walls crack and crumble second by second. The dam that she had built for herself all those years ago in an attempt to hold back all the horrors was breaking. She was not going to let them pollute her mind. It is known that when one gives into the darkness it is near impossible to claw your way back. This skeleton had thrust a chisel into the damn causing the once stable concrete structure to succumb to the weight constantly breaking upon it. The cracks began to branch out and spider web along the surface. It was not deep enough to destroy the structure but the damage had been done and so she acted irrationally.

The lapse had caused her to sit up just as he turned his back to her to stare out over the patio just off the side of the bed. She could feel her muscles tense as she tried to will the feeling to stop. The carmine lens she was seeing through caused her to watch him as she open and closed her right hand over and over again. He never said a word drowning the room in a tension so thick you could cut it with a cleaver. His subtle movement was when she reached her breaking point as when he turned around and very minimally opened his mouth is when it happened. She sent the palm of her hand right across his face hearing a loud crack as the soft flesh met with bone. She sat there watching his sockets widen in shock just staring at her with his mouth slightly agape.

A small burn had begun set into her abused palm as it reddened exponentially. It stung but it was worth it to wipe that smug sharp-toothed grin off his skeletal face. She was not going to apologize for something he deserved. She may be a kind soul with an almost suicidal moral compass for a world like this but she was not weak and she certainly was not foolish. She was just like any human being. She was not perfect. She was not a saint. She was just a young woman that tried to live her life a certain way. She was not going to just sit by and let his actions slide as her eyebrows furrowed. She felt so cold as the sting in her palm increased forcing her to wrap her arms around her in a protective way. Her lips were quivering, "Don't touch me." She had been on the verge of tears and it only made it worse when his grin returned.

 _*Son of a bitch deserves everything he gets!_

Sans lowered his hand as well as kept his distance, for now. He closed his sockets and raised his shoulders in a shrug, "What ya didn have fun dollface?" He really was leaning more toward idiot. Why would he say something like that? He acted the part of the uncaring jerk but that was stepping over a line. It was like his mind and his mouth was in disconnect, "Ya should be thankin me. Better than killin ya right?" Seriously? He watched the water in her eyes spill over to roll down her cheeks. He had done something truly awful and here he was attempting to play it off as if he ruined her favorite shirt.

She could not believe what she was hearing. Her grip on her opposite arm tightened almost causing crescent-shaped indents in her skin from the pressure of her nails. She was still shaking trying to hold herself to together. The moment she blinked tears rolled down her cheeks. She had promised not show such weakness but she was unable to stop herself. That was her only option, wasn't it? Be a tool for someone else or die? This world truly was unforgiving to someone who forgave. He was a monster both physically and metaphorically. Her entire body froze as she saw his hand reaching for her. It was lax and unthreatening but she quickly pulled away and slapped at the hand coming toward her. There was a look that passed his face that she had never seen on it before. That very moment it changed as he got off the bed to stand.

He came around the opposite side moving so that he was right in front of her. His back was facing her the entire time as he raised his fingers. She knew what that meant. She knew that would spell the end for her. She closed her eyes waiting before he turned his head with his back still facing her. She could see the indents of his spine through the t-shirt material. He just stood there for a moment not saying a word.

His fingers began to spark with magic and a deep ruby glow as a red and black garment floated into his awaiting hands. It was one she was familiar with. It was her sweater, "Gonna wash this before tha Boss comes back. Ya can't leave this room so don't even try. Ya go it? Ya need me ta leave." He repeated the action with the other clothing strewn haphazardly on the wooden floor. He gripped the material of her sweater before he turned his head toward the wall. A snap of his fingers rang out through the room and in a flash of crimson he was gone. He appeared in his room downstairs or what he would have called his false room. The one that was what his brother assumed of him. It was the one he brought her to last night. Just as he closed the door he realized he should just go upstairs instead. The room above was his true room though no one knew that but him as it had been specifically designed in such a way that access was nearly impossible. The only way for one to enter the room was by teleportation.

He stared at the red and black sweater in his hands for a moment before closing his eye sockets and releasing a heavy sigh. He snapped out of it and opened the door only to peak his head out into the hallway. Boss had already left as he did so early every single morning. This was his only opportunity though why he was doing it he did not have a clue. He blinked downstairs to find the appliances that they used to wash all their clothing behind a slatted dark wood door. He tossed her garments inside including his own clothing from the previous night and leaned against the machine. It hummed to life as he stared at one of the detergent bottles with the gold lettering of MTT brand softener scrawled across the front.

Frisk was happy to be left alone. She did not want to see him or talk to him. He was cruel and self-centered. Even her forgiving heart could only take so much. It made her sicker that she was in one of his nice warm comfy t-shirts. Her fingers gripped at the hem angrily before she felt that presence of calm wash over her. He had disappeared using his special kind of magic no doubt and left her with the information that there was no way for her to leave.

The room she was in had no doors save for the glass sliding doors that looked over the snow-dusted trees outside. What kind of an architect would make a room with no door, a monster one apparently? It was also a different room then what she was initially brought to. The room was not at all as she expected Sans to have. It was clean in both cleanliness and style. She was curious about some of the key items in the room. A set of monitors in the front, the bookshelf on the left side of the wall, a dresser on the right side, a rather large closet to her right, and the patio outside.

The bed that was up against the wall had a simple black headboard which is where she was currently. On either side was a set of rectangular nightstands each with a simple lamp resting upon their shiny surfaces. The room was a mix of blues, blacks, and whites with not a spot of red to be seen. That was a curious palette choice. Everything that she had seen up to this point was a combination of red, black, gold, and the occasional cream. Even the duvet cover that was neatly folded back was a deep blue with black shining through the weave of the fabric. It reminded her of the color of her eyes.

The entire floor was covered in the same dark wood she had seen so many times before with a large cream rug at the foot of the bed that spanned a good portion of the room. It had small vertical wave-like patterns in a deep charcoal. She noticed that directly in front of the bed was a series of dark screens that she would be investigating soon. She knew that snooping around his room was not good form but that did not stop her curiosity. There were too many inconsistencies that needed to be addressed.

She moved from the bed to make her way over to the large set of sliding doors to her right. As she placed her fingertips in the slot to pull it open she was shocked to find that he wore more than just a black leather jacket, red sweater, and shorts. At first, that was exactly what she had thought due to the same garments lining the front half of the closet. She saw different variations of the black leather bomber, pants, and a hanger consisting of a row of various belts. She peaked her head into the back only to find some more dressy clothing like vests and a suit. She also noticed that there was a black garment bag. The only thing she could see was a hint of white peeking through the black zipper teeth. His various shoes also lined the floor of the closet. She shut the door scratching the back of her head. She was unsure why she just rummaged through his closet. _Ok moving on._

There was a rotating wooden desk chair sitting just in front of a set of monitors. They were off at the moment but three of them spanned the wall with adjustable mounts. It was a little unnerving and she highly doubted she wanted to know what these screens would display. The desk just below it was made of the same dark wood as everything else. It had different papers strewn across the surface along with a small security grade camera. It was in pieces as if someone had been attempting to take it apart. A few books were piled in one corner. She was not going to look through them but the one on the top was a deep cobalt blue book with a metallic silver embossed title. It also had little stars on it. It was a book on constellations? That was odd. There were no stars down here.

Her attention shifted from the book to the series of papers piled on the opposite corner. They had red marks on them indicating their importance. When she picked one up she noticed that His signature was at the bottom in scrawling calligraphy esk writing. It read Sans _Fontaine_. Interesting so he actually had a last name? That would be rather odd if his last name was skeleton not to mention anticlimactic. She shook her head only to release the contents of the single sheet of paper in her hands. It was a bill. Well, at least he was an upstanding citizen? What a weird thought.

She moved away from the desk noticing the bookshelf just off to the left. It had a set of beakers and tubes on the very top of the shelf that she was unable to reach. It did not look like a kind of set that one would give to a child either. It looked professional. The bedroom of a person was a very personal thing and as such an extension of the owner. The various things that she found within only made her question the skeleton all the more. Even the books that neatly lined the shelves in different colorful binding had strange titles. She knew little about their contents but it only raised more were titles like _String theory, Cat in the Box by Dr. Schrodinger, Advanced Quantum Physics, Time Space and You, and Funny Physics Jokes that Will Rock Your World_. She just stared at the row of titles with a look of confusion on her face. This was some pretty advanced science. He also had some star maps hanging off the side of the shelf. It was such a curious set of personal effects that she did not know what to think.

Sans never struck her as the kind of guy who would be into any of this stuff. He was also not the kind of guy that she could see wearing any of the clothing in the closet from earlier. He was tough and abnormally aloof and cruel. She tried to picture him sitting in the desk chair reading anything pertaining to science but here it was. Her head was spinning as she tried to piece it together with no such luck. The concepts just did not sync up.

She pulled away from the desk to turn her head toward the only doors that could lead to her salvation. He had said that there was no way for her to escape but if she could figure out a way then she would take it. She moved toward the glass sliding doors and gently pushed the panel off to the side. The cold air hit her as soon as she opened the pane causing her to shiver. She was about to step out onto the balcony when she spotted something in the corner. It was a cloth of some kind hiding something underneath.

Her curiosity got the best of her as she placed frozen foot after frozen foot to examine what lay beneath. Her hand reached for the snow-dusted material to pull it off. What lay underneath was something that she did not expect to see, a telescope. It looked brand new as if it had never been touched. It was not a modern model but it had an old-world kind of charm to it. It was mostly comprised of a deep metallic blue while the legs where a deep mahogany finish. It had Sans written over the top of it in silver paint with little stars decorating each side. She was about to throw the sheet back over it to protect it from the elements before she noticed something carved within the grain of one of the legs. It had been painted over in a metallic gold paint to make the writing pop more, "Brother I know you enjoy the stars and maybe one day you can use this device. ~Papyrus." At that very moment, she could not help the smile that appeared on her face. Papyrus really did care for his brother and though this world was harsh and cruel regardless of first impressions there was more to them all then even their actions accounted for.

The thought caused her to swear under her breath with eyebrows furrowed as she tossed the covering back over the telescope to keep any harm from coming to the brotherly gift. Sans was right. There was nowhere for her to go from here. She was freezing but the physical numbness just could not outmatch the emotional numbness she kept locked within her soul. She rested her arms on the snowy banister out looking the icy landscape beyond. Another exhausted sigh passed her lips as her blue eyes scanned the path leading off into the distance. It was cold but it felt rather nice as she felt the cool touch of snow upon her cheek.

Her eyes lazily drifted to land on one of the trees closest to the house. It was a fir just like the rest but it was touchable and at a decent height. Her earlier fear of being locked up in this room like some kind of damsel princess began to melt away. If she was able to grab a hold of the tree and slowly let herself down then she could make it to the ground. She would be able to escape this place. Even then it was a risky plan but with Flowey gone she had no one left to scold her for her seemingly increasing reckless decisions. She stayed there for a while before she heard a small noise from behind her.

Sans in the meantime had set to work with the laundry before heading over to the couch to put his feet up. He stared blankly at the black screen in front of him. His mind was not all there or rather it was focused on something or rather someone else. He had the human trapped upstairs in his true bedroom. The one place that he used to get away from everything and everyone as much as he was able to. He could still feel the sting of her hand on his cheekbone as he relaxed. It was something he admittedly felt he deserved. He would leave her up there until he was able to sort through just what he wanted to do about her. His usual method failed to work so now he was stuck with her. Why he decided to help her in small menial ways was beyond him. He should not have even brought her to the house.

He let out a sigh as he folded his arms over his chest with a huff slipping from his jagged maw. She sure was sweet, wasn't she? After everything that had happened she still did not falter. He did not know someone as stubborn as her. She was starting to rival even his older brother. He came to the conclusion that it was no an act. As much as he wanted it to be it wasn't. She was just a sweet and kind soul that he _had…_

His sharp tipped phalanges dug into the fabric of his shirt as he sat there stuck in his own mind. She was not going to survive this place if she continued with that mentality. His actions should have caused her to hate him and want him dead but all the human had settled for was slapping him across the face. She had a fire but only if pushed too far and even then how bright would that flame burn? He doubted that she would give him the time of day after everything.

A ping noise from the across the room roused him from his mental carousel. He had almost entirely forgotten about the laundry. At least he could return her clothes to her. His legs brought him to the machines only to pull the garments out and look them over. They looked fine as far as he could tell and he could still smell that faint aroma of orange blossoms and golden flowers. It was a scent that he was starting to associate with the terribly nieve, kind, and the sweet human girl that he had locked up like some kind of jailor. A prison without bars.

He grabbed the articles before snapping his fingers and appearing in the room. His expectations were dashed as he saw that she was standing outside barefoot on the patio. He could just tell that her head was inclined as he lay the clothing on the edge of the bed. She had not bothered to pick up her shoes which he lazily used his magic to set them neatly upright on the floor. He was unsure if he should make his presence known or just let her figure out that he was standing there.

She turned her head slowly to see that Sans had rematerialized once again behind her only this time he kept his distance. Did she actually get through to him? She turned and blinked expecting him to say something but he never did. All he did was stand there avoiding her eyes like he knew he would lose a staring contest. She glanced down to notice that her sweater and shorts were neatly folded on the edge of the bed. It confused her as to why he would even bother going to the trouble. She felt her hate for him wavering and if she was truly honest with herself she could not even call it hate. She did not know much about him other than his rather unsavory attitude and just looking around the room told her a good amount about the skeleton already. Her voice came out in a soft tone as she entered the room again to shut the door behind her. Her feet were now purple but she paid them no mind, "Yes?"

He looked up at her and cleared his throat, "Just bringin ya some clean clothes. Don't get any ideas like me bein nice ta ya. It's all cause I like keepin tha room clean? Ya got it human?" He was jabbing his finger at her with his eye sockets narrowed, "Dont wanna hear any whinin from ya either. Ya may be up here but tha Boss has good hearin." He crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at her with a raised eyebrow expectantly. He was once again letting his abrasive disposition take control. He just looked her over a few times. She did not appear like she had any intention of fleeing.

Frisk slowly made her way inside placing her hands in front of her and folding them gently into her lap. It was so strange standing there so calmly. A sane person would have tried to fight their way out or even cared more than she did. It was so abnormal that one might have to question her mental stability, "Well I don't really have anywhere else to go do I? My name is Frisk not human for the millionth time. I don't call you skeleton….Sans _Fontaine_ " She calmly bit back to the best of her ability giving him the answer he was looking for.

He was unsure what exactly was going to transpire in those fleeting moments but once again he witnessed that spark within her, "Yeah, Yeah like I care what I call ya kitten. You'll always be ma little pet." He froze when she finished her little attempt at being snarky with him, "Fon-...how do ya know ma last name?" He could have sworn that he had never mentioned it before. He was now tapping his foot on the ground as he waited yet again for her reply. This was getting interesting.

She knew he would pick up on the sudden drop of his last name. It caused her to give him a lopsided grin, "Well what do you expect me to do when there is nothing to do you jerk? I am NOT your tool or your pet or your toy. I am a human being and I have a name." She too now had her arms crossed across her chest as she spoke with him. In a kind of furnished prison that's all one could do, talk. It felt just like before. _Home sweet home_. She could tell that she was trying his patience. The indicator was the size and intensity of the lights that rested in his sockets if she was nudging him ever closer to the breaking point. Even if his mouth did not give away any emotion, which it did plenty, his eyes were the primary indicator.

Right now he was looking at her with narrowed sockets, ruby pricks of light staring pointedly at her. He had not seen this side of her before. It was refreshing especially after their little game of cat and mouse just the day prior. A day by normal standards not based upon resets. His judgment of time was so severely fucked up that he was unable to determine the time of day any longer. It was all just one jumbled mess of numbers. Her fire though was what caused a smirk to pull up on his face showing off that signature gold tooth, "Ya got a real spine there kitten standin up ta me when ya know what I could do ta ya." He closed his one eye socket and winked at her only to raise his shoulders in a half amused shrug, "Tell ya what. I'm feelin extra generous so here's how this is gonna work dollface. Ya just keep quiet up here and don't cause any trouble. I'll keep ya from da Boss. I'll even bring ya food and take care of ya. All till I figure out what I'm gonna do with ya." He was still not using her name, "I'll even keep ya company if ya ask nicely so whatda ya say?" He knew she did not have a choice as he opened his eye sockets once again and relaxing his posture.

Frisk sighed in defeat before placing a hand upon her hip making her way closer. She was not going to walk right up to him as she wanted to be nowhere near the skeleton but she did stop right in front of him, "That's fine but I am choosing this." She was not going to let him dictate her life even though in reality she knew that there was little to no choice. It was but an illusion and the amused look on his face told her that is exactly how he wanted it. _What an unconscionable creep._ Something in her was boiling and the voice inside her head was not helping.

 _*SLUG him, Frisk! Make him see those stupid stars that he seems to enjoy. HURT HIM! He deserves it! You know he does. This is insanity._

Her hand was shaking as she balled it into a fist. He really did deserve it. After all those times he just brutally murdered her with a smile on his face. He deserved more than just a measly punch. She was now digging her nails into the palms of her hands before she felt the tension leave her. She had to have faith. She had to have hope and those two things never came easy. On the inside, she wanted to break down but on the outside she was calm, "I have one condition...say my name."

Sans just watched her with a lazy expression on his face but his eyes danced with a kind of curious amusement. She wasn't this stupid was she? She just casually stood before him only for his eyes to flicker to the fists shaking at her sides. She may act tough but down here that meant nothing. His eyes snapped up to look into hardened stormy blue eyes. All he did was frown as he grabbed a hold of her wrist tightly pulling her closer to him, "Ya sure do try ta act tough dontcha? I can see ya shakin like a leaf. Ya think you can make demands?" He smirked and it was a none too friendly expression either, "Ya think ya hold any cards there doll? Think again. Ya got no choice but ta do what I tell ya. Ya got it?!" He could feel her soft skin nearly bruising at her wrists as he held her firmly. She was even more delicate than he originally anticipated. His other hand was at her shoulder lightly digging his sharpened phalanges into the fabric.

She just wanted one little thing. All she wanted was to be treated like a normal human being with a name. That's all. She felt the bony grip snatch her wrist forcing her toward him. It hurt but that was not what struck her. Her eyes widened as she entered a space that one could not follow. It was pure, untainted, panic and fear. She began to shake her head and struggle violently trying to get him to let her go, "LET ME GO!" Her entire body quaked from it all as she stared wide-eyed as if the mind that occupied her body was adrift. It was such a violent reaction that she began to hallucinate. Her breathing labored as she desperately tried to get away. There were no other words to describe the feeling now drowning her as finally she broke away tumbling backward and ending up slamming her calves into the bed. Her body was still shaking as she placed her hands on her head sliding to the floor with tears forming in her horrified eyes. What was real? What was not? Even when one represses such things sometimes they are bound to make it to the surface.

 _*FRISK, FRISK PLEASE! You can't take this anymore. Look at what it is doing to you. Please...please...PLEASE!_

Sans knew he had been harsh with her and for some reason unnecessarily so as all of a sudden her entire body began to convulse. Her wish was granted as it did wipe that look off his face but more because he had no idea what he was witnessing. She began to struggle and pull away violently before the meager loosening of his fingers sent her flying backward. She looked like someone who had just lost everything. Someone that was struggling to stay in the world both emotionally and mentally. He just stared at her unsure what to do. This was the first time he had seen something so violent from her. He just stood there for a moment staring at those vacant blue eyes as deep as the sea. She was in tears and terrified. Why did he care anyway?

He heard her whimper before he huffed gruffly and looked away. He honestly could not look at her anymore. Not when she was like that, "Feh...whatever, Frisk...ya happy? I'm gonna get ya somethin so ya can clean up. I ain't havin ya sleepin here if ya smell like a lost puppy." He growled through locked teeth, "And don't go snoopin through ma stuff no more." His tone was unusually softer this time around. It was less like a forceful command and more like an abrasive suggestion. He snapped his fingers and with that, he left her alone once again.

Frisk's eyes darted back and forth as the pinpricks of her pupils wavered. Everything felt like it was trying to crush her as she shook on the floor. She did not even hear what he said as she screwed her eyes shut in an attempt to get the intense feeling to fade away. He had triggered an almost repressed primal fear that caused her entire body to seize up leaving her making herself sick. After the skeleton had been gone for a while she finally began to unfold herself staring at the floor. Her fingers were threaded harshly through her hair as she slowly came back from her traumatic headspace. That simple act of him grabbing her wrist had sent her into the dark pit where she repressed every little thing. It was a black tar that continued to pull her down clawing at her ankles. It was an overwhelming and all-consuming fear as the memories ran past her like the frames of a film reel.

She placed a shaky hand on the side of the bed as her regular functions began to stabilize. Her fingers slowly and weakly tried to grip at the sheets in an effort to get up. Her eyes were closed as she shakily rose to her feet. She needed to get out and now that her clothes were returned she would be able to do just that. She sat on the bed with her head in her hands for a moment before she felt calm enough to proceed.

She snatched up all her clothing changing as fast as humanly possible with her limbs still shivering from time to time. This was the second time that she had a reaction like this and it was starting to scare her. Was it even possible to be scared of being scared? She tossed the shirt on the bed before pulling on her boots and grabbing her satchel. She expected that he would confiscate it but it was still right next to everything else. He probably saw no harm in it. She would most likely injure herself trying to climb down the tree but it was better than being here.

She slid open the door before leaning over the railing to judge the distance between where she was on the balcony and the snowy ground below. The house was about three stories tall give or take. She hoisted herself up and over the banister stepping lightly on a branch to test its stability. It let out a creaking noise but stayed firm as she made her way along the frozen branch toward the trunk of the tree. It took a moment as she moved to a sitting position getting a scent of pine from the tree that she was now resting. Her eyes moved downward before she had to gulp and shake her head. She was not terribly afraid of heights but it was at least high enough off the ground to raise some concern. She just had to do it like ripping off a band-aid. She could free herself from her jailor.

She clung to the branches taking it slow one motion at a time to find proper footholds as she descended. It would have been wise if she did this after she had calmed down rather than immediately afterward but she did not want to risk another attack and being trapped with _him_ would only do that. She released a soft sigh as her boot was met with the satisfying crunch of snow. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she leaned against the trunk catching her breath. She was free.

She did not know where she was in relation to where she had been at the library as she looked both directions. What she did know was that she needed to find another star if possible so that she would not have to go through all that again. She moved to her right sneaking about through trees and under window baskets in an effort to remain hidden. She would have to make it all the way back to Mae's somehow.

She appeared to become more adjusted to the cold as she walked carefully avoiding noises and open spaces. She had to be smart about this. That's when she came upon a little igloo just off to the side. A sign sat embedded in the snow next to it, _Use underground Igloo tunnels at your own risk for faster travel_. She blinked curiously, "Faster travel?" That could come in handy. She stepped inside only to end up slipping on a strip of ice that caused her to fly down the strip to end up outside once more. She was right next to the Inn. That was rather convenient.

She scrambled her way toward the star to take a hold of its dim glow happy that she was able to breathe a little easier. Only to hear a shout from in front of her. One of the dog like sentries had spotted her brandishing a halberd. There was no time to think only run. The dog chased after her alerting others in the vicinity as she ran as fast as she could through the residential area of Snowin. One was so close that its claws tore through the skin of her arm ripping the sleeve of her sweater into ominous claw-like shreds. They were hot on her heels as she ran into a thicket of trees only to begin to climb one. Snowcap had hidden from the guard by climbing upward if she remembered correctly and from this angle, they would not be able to see her.

She ascended before reaching the last branch. She just stayed perfectly quiet and still as the dogs stopped at the edge of the forest with their noses frantically sniffing the air for the human. Sans had made a passing comment that she had smelled like a lost puppy and she hoped that was still the case. They drew nearer to the point she could hear the soft clinking of armor until it just stopped. There was a shout from the opposite direction causing the canines to retreat leaving her hiding spot. She knew the day was far from over and already she was exhausted.

She used her senses to determine that the guards had left entirely allowing her to climb down from her perch. The claws that had torn through her pale skin left deep tears in the flesh as she could feel blood slowly seeping from the wound. It stung and hurt yet all she could do was try to get back to solid ground safely. One of the branches she had used as a foothold began to ring out with a cracking noise before she was sent tumbling down into the snow below. She was thankful that the fall was not too high.

Frisk shook her head to glance at her wound. She had endured quite a bit so far but she had always died before she could see the physical damage. She just sat there feeling weak, alone, and helpless to amend the situation that she was in. After a while, she stood up to search for something though her mind could not piece together what. It was currently on autopilot. She clutched at her arm feeling the crimson droplets slip through her fingers before she collapsed. She had found herself at a dock with no ferry. The icy water floated by as she just sat there with her legs underneath her and off to the side. There were so many things that had happened and all at once the burden was starting to take its toll.

She couldn't bare it as she sat there. Her eyes began to fill with tears that slowly rolled from her cheeks dripping onto the snow below. Her soft sobs shook her small frame over and over again. They did not understand why she was doing what she was doing. It was no longer about some kind of saintly mission. It was about rest and peace which she neither found here or up there. She was a prisoner of this horrifying loop that she was unable to break and not even the promise of death changed that fact. She was trapped in a purgatory and she did not understand why. Her hands came up to cover her face as a mix of tears and blood slipped from her fingers.

Sans had gone out of his way to get her some of the MTT brand products that she would need for a nice relaxing shower only getting odd glances from the cashier. He just frowned and eyed the employee, "What tha fuck are ya lookin at?" The monster just raised his hands up in the air defensively before letting him leave. It only took a second for him to make his way back into the house only to place the items under the sink. Pap never seemed to go under there so he assumed it was fine.

He did not realize just how much the events from before had shaken him as he closed the cupboard door. He could not seem to get that look on her face out of his mind. In fact, he could not seem to stop questioning himself either. What a load of bullshit. Why the fuck should he care in the first place? He just stared at himself in the mirror for a moment before shaking his head. Well, she must have calmed down by now right? He shoved his hands into the pockets of his shorts to prevent her from seeing how tightly he was clenching his fists before teleporting back to her fully furnished cell.

At first, he scanned the room thinking stupidly that she was hiding but as he took a few steps to look around he realized that there was something wrong. How the!? He noticed the open patio door and quickly looked down toward the ground. He could just faintly make out a pair of boot prints in the snow. She was at least smart he had to give her credit for that. There was one undeniable fact though.

 _She was gone..._

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛** **12** **t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

 _End of Entry..._


	20. Ere Kitten, Kitten

Summary:

Frisk has successfully escaped the claws of her skeletal jailor but at what cost and for how long? How much more can one person take? The frozen air bites into the flesh and down to the bone as she wanders. Is there truly hope for her? Is there truly hope for them? The mind can be a somewhat cruel mistress forcing thoughts of darkness and despair upon those that attempt to shine the brightest. Trust and wariness. Love and hate. All opposing ideals and yet but a hairs width between their lines. How far, how much, how long can one continue to endure?

{DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains NOTHING bad whatsoever just fluff. Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

 **Welcome to the Underworld** **  
**{Log 2: Snowdin

Entry 8: Ere Kitten, Kitten~}

Sans eye-lights emptily starred out over the wintry landscape below just off the side of his balcony. His mouth was agape as he gawked at the presence that was now missing from the room as he leaned against the banister as if he needed to support himself from going over. The skeleton was confounded. She was gone and had easily slipped through his inescapable prison. A feeling began to twist in his non existent stomach as his unease had him processing why he gave a damn in the first place. His fingers gripped the railing tightly leaving skeletal shaped indents in the wooden frame slamming his fist down on top of it. The wood began to splinter and crack from the force of his frustrations. If she continued to get him going like this he would have to fix more than the railing. The sharp edges of his teeth were locked together gritted harshly as he lingered only to head back inside a few moments later.

He was NOT concerned about the human running off on her own like that. He grabbed his sweater and jacket throwing it on the bed hastily before slipping on his usual attire. The hanger that held up his signature leather jacket was nearly ripped from the closets metal bar causing it to tumble and crash to the ground with a thunk. He almost ran into the wall thinking that there was a door there in his haste only to shake his head at his own disgruntled stupidity. She really got to him this much? No, it was clearly just the fact that if that stupid human died then he would end up right back at his damn sentry station again. He was sure that was why, self-sanity preservation.

He snapped his fingers teleporting directly outside next to the tree that stretched toward his secret patio. Even if she had fallen it would not have done enough damage to leave her injured or incapacitated. There were no signs of either as he squatted down to place his fingertips over the packed snow noticing the imprint of her boots. He could see the icy air solidifying from his steady breathing with each exhale creating a gentle fog as he examined the site. A skeletal head turned to see the more defined prints fading off toward the direction of the town. He ended up closing his sockets and rubbing his thumb right between them before letting a huff of frigid breath escape with a light groan, "Da fuck ya think yer doin doll?" He had not said it for anyone's ears only his own. It was but a light musing of irritation before he stood to follow the tracks like some kind of bloodhound.

He could just make out the bright obnoxious purple lights of Grillby's as he scanned the area. Her boot prints had stopped only to double back and he knew why. Her freshly made prints were paired with a set of canine-like feet. Oh, shit did she get captured by The Guard? No, if that was the case then Pap would have been alerted and he would have been tasked to be there. Even if he was not a part of the Snowdin Guard. He used the front of his boot to inconspicuously hide her tracks from anyone that might find them as he followed them closer toward the residential area. That was the moment he noticed that her stride spaced the tracks farther apart. She had been clearly running at this point deeper into the town.

Snowdin Town consisted of a long strip of path that opened up into a town square. Its wares were minimal but it had the basics such as a shop, an Inn, a bar, and a library. A residential area was nestled just behind the main thoroughfare in snuggly wooden cabins and cottages. There were also monsters living out in Snowdin Forest if they so desired but for the most part, the little town was simply a kind of safe haven from the brutality of the rest of the Underworld. His brother Papyrus had really cleaned up the town and worked his hardest to protect it and enforce its peaceful atmosphere. The lanky skeleton did not want anyone to know but the statue that the townspeople had made in his honor brought a tear to his eye sockets the day of its reveal. They truly appreciated his hard work. It was sad that Pap was just as stuck as him when it came to expressing deeply held emotion. In fact, it was near impossible to express any emotion at all. It was a weakness a lesson they had learned the hard way in their youth.

He continued on his objective half stuck in the quagmire of thoughts of his past before heading into the residential area. The pathway just off to the right as he passed the library, oh wait no excuse him he meant librarby, lead straight into the first set of private streets. He knew the sign was spelled incorrectly but he could not help the chuckle he got out of it. The area that he now found himself was like a giant cul de sac with a house here and there only to branch off into others of the same type. All the houses were of a similar log cabin feel with their rounded windows reflecting warm lighting from inside. Each of their roofs was snow-capped just like most of the things in this place. It was called Snowdin for a reason.

The tracks that ran into the forest had stopped only to double back again. The difference was that this time the tracks were not simple boot prints but rather scars within the snow that created shallow trails indicating that they whoever it was, was dragging their weight. That could not be good. He also noticed small drops of blood sprinkled about staining the snow as he made slow and steady strides to follow the crimson bread crumbs. The task of finding someone in these parts was not difficult when the snow tracked every single coming and going. The silence was beginning to get to him as he began to condescending joke with a few calls into the frozen air, "'Ere kitten, kitten~" Even if someone spotted him saying something so outlandish they would probably just assume that he was referring to Pap's fluffy white cat Doomfanger.

The faint sound of abused lungs and choked sobs drifted just a few feet in front of him. He had heard her before he saw her. There had been multiple times that he just sneaked up on her not caring in the slightest the outcome but this time he decided to spectate. At least that is what he thought was going to happen. The soft sound of anguish filled sniffles grew in volume as he attempted to mask his presence by partially hiding behind a nearby tree. She had collapsed in the snow next to Rivers dock and was failing in keeping her emotions in check. She apparently had not heard his earlier catcalls. It was not her usual teary eyed whimpers but rather a deep set emotional pain that caused her entire body to give up on itself slumping forward in defeat. Her fingers loosely covered her face as the tears slipped past those dainty cracked fingers forcing the tears and blood to mix. She looked so helpless and hopeless. Her anguish only seemed to drone on as he watched her. The vibrant blue heart that made up her very being convulsed and began to lose its neon hue dulling with the duration of her sorrow. What had once been a bright vivid hue of cobalt blue was now a muted blue. Her very soul was drowning in a vast sea of hopelessness and sorrow.

He placed his hand on the trunk of the tree gently watching the lonely and poor girl continued to sob. His usual smile had vanished only to be replaced by a pair of furrowed brows. The scene brought back old memories as he became the spectator of her pain. They were memories that he had repressed long ago. He did not need them anymore so why did he find himself slipping into a small distressed reel of his own life? It played before him like an overlay over the present.

The skeleton fell to the ground stumbling just as he made his way to the edge of River's dock. The cold snow hit his bones causing him to shudder at impact. He doubled over scrapping his phalanges against the frozen earth. The pain wracked his body bringing cyan colored tears to his eyes. He was just so young and being put through so much by his so-called father. Everyone looked up to him but the man was a sadist using his own son as a kind of experiment. This time it had gone too far. He had just escaped ending up in Snowdin Town doubled over and staring at his own blue tear stained cheekbones.

He had always been the black sheep of the family or rather the white sheep in this case. His older brother knew nothing about what their father truly was and he was glad for it. He may have been the younger brother but that did not stop him from looking out for his big bro. They were both really close even after circumstances darkened. Their mad scientist of a father had been using Sans as a lab rat only because he could justify the loss if something went horribly wrong. He was considered weak even in appearance his entire existence and could not help that he was born this way. Papyrus attempted to cheer him up but he would just give the elder a sad smile. He was… not like the other monsters in the Underworld and he really did not want to be. He was unique. Pap had gotten his looks from their father spiked mouth and all but Sans… well…

He stared at his reflection in the rushing water before smacking it with a skeletal fist harshly. Was their father that psychotic to leverage his own brother when it came to his research? There was no doubt in his mind that the answer was a definitive yes. Papyrus had always been the prodigy child and their fathers favorite. Sans was just a throwaway. A mistake. A failure. If the experiment was a success then he might have gained his late father's favor. The truth was that he had no expectations of its success in the first place. His youngest son was but a means to an end.

The only thing that kept him going was his brother. He promised that one day he would keep his brother from their father who was about as reliable as flour as a base for building materials. It was concerning how often he disregarded life in order to further his own research. Papyrus knew nothing of this of course but Sans had to stand idly by as a lab tech watching the horrors transpiring near his station. The memories gave him nightmares sometimes as the sounds of screaming tore at his eye sockets and scratched viciously at his skull. Then there were the other scientists. Those that had turned a blind eye. They all starred googly eyed up at the royal scientist with stars in their eyes overlooking the true atrocities that man had created.

Sans noticed that his once sorrowful expression morphed into a look of rage. He was not one to become angry often unless such a response was warranted. That was until the experiments begun. He could feel his unimpeded violent side poisoning his thoughts. He had become easily irritable forcing him to shake his head shoving the toxin from his consciousness. The young monster would endure what he was subjected to as a means to be rid of his father once and for all. It would effectively diminish the potential threat to Pap if he just held on. He continued to stare at his own reflection righting his posture. The look in his eye like lights were filled with a newfound hope that he had assumed had been crushed. There was something else that sparked within his eyes, DETERMINATION.

The unwanted replay compelled him to dig his claw-like fingers into the bark of the tree that he was now using as a visual barrier. The vision of a younger him seemed to slowly fade away leaving only the now sniffling human girl in his place. The scene tugged at something deep within his being. He had been right where she now lay. The girl mirrored his past feeling of melancholy attempting to cope within the sea of tribulation that bound her. He had been in the same situation staring at this own reflection with tears in his sockets feeling the hopelessness begin to crush him into submission. There was only one difference. He had someone, his brother Papyrus, she had no one and yet she continued to move forward never letting the events that transpired affect her. At least she did not let those emotions show outwardly. Her little sparks of emotion seemed to be something only he saw. He had unintentionally broken her to the point that now here she was sobbing in the snow. What in the Underworld had happened to him? He was not like this. He did not want to be like him.

Sans realized that he was now standing out in the open just loitering there letting his mind sort through his own conglomeration of thoughts. His hands were at his sides as he calmly approached. He was so silent that even his boots were not making their usual noisy crunch in the snow at his feet. The mild daze he drifted in left him gingerly reaching his hand toward the human's shoulder. He hesitated. What was he doing? He could not be sympathizing with her, could he? He yanked his hand back before teleporting a few steps away purely out of habit even though he could have just done the simple action of taking steps back instead. That was such an old memory. He could not let it affect him.

The skeleton stood there no different from when the two had their first encounter in the woods though this time the look on his face was far more relaxed. He did not like the fact that these feelings forced him into showing an entire spectrum of emotion without his consent. The upper sections of his sockets were slightly furrowed. He shook his head trying to change it before speaking up in a semi-mocking voice, "Heh. 'Ere kitten, kitten. What? Didcha think it wou-" He lost his train of thought when she turned to look at him her cheeks were tear-stained, cobalt eyes swimming in a watery pool. What had derailed his train of thought was the blood dripping through her fingers. He huffed as if he was annoyed and walked closer before squatting down to be at her level. She had not moved but he could see the terror clawing at those soul-filled blue eyes.

Frisk did not care how long she had been laying there letting her pent-up emotions run over like an overflowing glass. She was only human, and she could only take so much. Her arms rose to wipe furiously at her eyes. All she could do was use the newly washed sleeve of her sweater to soak up the tears that fell in uncontrollable waves. She had to control herself if she wanted to survive this place but the more she exhausted her kindness the more difficult it became. It was like a broken dam. It did not matter if she filled the crack in the wall. The damage had already branched out and spread. Her heart somersaulted in her chest forcing the organ to feel like it was about to burst through her ribcage when she heard his voice. She did not have the energy to run as she just turned slowly to look at him. There was no way she really believed that she would be able to escape but at least she gave it her best effort only to end up with her arm shredded. Her audible gulp would not be lost on him as he squatted down to look her straight in the eyes. What she noticed was the softness of the crimson lights looking at her. It was not like before where they were hard and vibrant ruby flames. She stayed perfectly still but, on the inside, she was shaking.

He took a moment before reaching his fingers toward her watching her reaction to the simple advance. The girl did not move but he could tell that she was quaking on the inside. It was not a physical tell but rather a magical tell. The soul that comprised her very being was shivering enough for him to be able to see. The skeleton turned his hand opening it with an awaiting palm. He already knew that the dogs had torn into her arm. Those claw marks were an injury he knew well, "Give me yer arm." He raised his brows as if to question her, but he refrained from saying anything else only waiting for her to comply with his suggestion. Even his commands seemed to lose their bite.

She flinched as bony fingers outstretched toward her. She was afraid of what kind of punishment her little escape attempt would bring. The repercussions almost frightened her more than he did. She never broke eye contact with him wiping at her puffy watery eyes. They fell on his awaiting hand only to gaze up at him. There was no way she was going to give him her arm. He would probably snap it like a toothpick, so she could no longer attempt to escape anymore. A mistake that he would not make again. The only way to do so was to climb. It would have been a fitting punishment.

He just watched the gears rotating in her head before he sighed gruffly flicking his eyes away from her still holding his hand out expectantly, "I ain't gonna repeat maself Doll." His eyes slowly shifted back to her face. They seemed to waver before she began to wipe at her face with an opposite arm. He was being extraordinarily patient with her right now. She had no desire to comply with what he was asking he could tell. He eventually came to take a seat next to her trying to diminish his intimidating presence. If he looked more relaxed, then maybe she would as well. He was just going to observe for now.

She analyzed every single tick, every change in his expression, his body language, there was not a single detail spared. Her eyes were trained on him like a hawk. There was no possible outcome were anything good would come of this. This was Sans she was in front of. He really seemed to be trying especially when he sat down in front of her instead of leaning over her. It was unsettling to feel like his shadow was ominously hanging above her head. He seemed to notice this and changed the situation. She watched him curiously as he scratched the back of his skull losing eye contact with her for a moment. She knew she was going to regret this decision as she gently removed her crimson slicked fingers from her arm and held it out for him to take. Did something happen?

Sans unusually long patience was rewarded when she finally decided to trust him which by all means she should not have. At least she was learning to be more guarded when it came to her trust. He knew he couldn't use his usual force as he took her arm gently pulling the wary girl just a little closer. He did not realize he was smiling when he spoke only shaking his head with a light-hearted chuckle, "Ain't anyone toldcha ta beware of dogs. All bite an no bark ya know? Specially tha Guard." His eyes scanned the wound that created gruesome tracks of missing flesh on her skin. A wound like this needed more than just simple disinfectant. He was grateful that monsters did not have this problem, but he knew enough about humans due to his former employment. She needed genuine medical and magical attention if the wound was to heal without complications, "Dis ain't gonna cut it. Let's getcha back ta tha house." He released her arm from his skeletal grip before standing up to brush the snow from his clothing. That hand once again extended out to her mirroring the encounter from before. He felt like he had an unspoken obligation to assist her due to the grotesque claw marks now etched into her flesh. The question was would she trust him enough to take it.

She was in shock. He was making jokes and just having a conversation with her? Just a while ago he had been aggressive and horribly ill-mannered now he sat there patiently and gingerly holding her arm. She held her breath anticipating the pain or the yelling that never came. The skeletal sentry just pulled her closer to him as he examined the injury. The wound was deep and certainly did not look healthy against the pale backdrop of her porcelain skin. It hurt causing her to let out a small pathetic wince when he lifted her arm. He was by no means forceful. Her trauma induced attack from before never asserted itself the duration he held her bleeding shoulder. He was genuinely trying to help. Why? She had little to no idea but for now, she would take any sliver of kindness shown to her even if it was coming from him. When he stood she was unsure if he was just fed up or if he just needed to stretch his legs. His next set of words caused her to think the latter rather than the former, "Why should I trust anything you have to say?" She had no doubt she was going to pay for that little remark. She truly wanted to trust him but after everything, she struggled to make a proper decision.

Frisk sat there processing for a moment glancing at the hand offering to help her. She could see every little boney ridge of his phalanges. The absence of those black gloves that she had seen him wearing before made his fingers remind her of the creepy twigs that scratched at the windows in horror movies. His fingers though similar to hers in structure appeared to be longer at every joint making them look like spindly claws rather than human fingers. She could not help but notice that there was scraping at the tips as if they had been filed but why would he do that? The more she examined the little nuances in his appearance the more she felt as though she was missing something. There was something about Sans that just did not add up from the suspicious scientific room to the appearance and his behavior. It was all confused in her mind like a box of strewn puzzle pieces. She took the chance as she reached out to let him help her up wincing scantly as she was pulled to her feet.

The skeleton was unable to hide his surprise when she put her trust in him. He barely had the opportunity to answer her question, "Ya shouldn't but in this case, yer hurt so…" He paused thinking his next words through wisely it was not just enough to say his intentions as his previous actions contradicted them, "Look I ain't askin again Frisk." He gently helped her to stand holding her against him for support. The last thing that he wanted to do was injure the girl any further. Sans had not realized it before as he stood there with the anomalous human against him that she was surprisingly warm in more ways than one. She did have a tendency to bring out the red monster inside in him, but she also calmed it. The whole situation just continued to leave him in a perpetual state of confusion and mixed emotions. His grin pulled up a bit higher, "So ya trust me now eh doll? Probably not tha best idea."

Frisk knew better as she leaned against him. He just kept making remarks about her trusting him, "I don't trust you at all but what options do I have?" Her voice sounded meager and tired. This must have been what it felt like in the Underworld living day to day constantly looking over your shoulder. It was utterly draining. There was no way that she would be able to trust the skeleton, so she proceeded with caution. The only issue with the whole situation was that she was at his mercy, AGAIN. No, it most certainly was not the best idea as she stood there nursing her arm as best as she could, taking in the fresh scent of snow and pine. She turned her head for a moment to get a better look around the area she had stumbled. She had not been paying that much attention at the time.

The area looked no different than what she had seen before except for the little river that sliced through the snowy landscape just behind her. The icy section of land jutted off into the deep dark blue waters beyond. She could not determine just how deep the river ran but it appeared bottomless due to its unnatural navy color. It must have been the lack of light. On either side, the same snow burdened trees flanked the space creating a little alcove. Now that she had her back to the area she finally realized just how far the dogs of The Guard had hunted her. The place in which she was standing gave her minimal opportunity to make out the lights from the little town. Why did half of her feel relieved that Sans had found her? She should be thinking no such thing as his grip tightened on her.

He stayed for a moment taking one last look at River's dock before noticing Frisk observing her surroundings. This kind of behavior was something he had witnessed before but made no comment on it. Their life here must have been completely different to her so she just ended up looking at every little thing in wonder and curiosity. So innocent...and naive. That's when he cleared his throat to speak up suddenly. His voice was calm and informative this time, "Yer at River's dock. They ferry monsters back an forth from here ta Hotland. Don't see em much anymore after they began workin wit tha Triad." His shoulders came up in a shrug before tightening his grip on the inquisitive human. He raised his fingers to snap an almost routine action when he was about to use his magic. As always, he landed exactly where he was picturing and this time it was not his secret room.

The curious human blinked up at the monster holding her. Frisk was not expecting him to respond to her small musings. She had always been the type of girl curious about everything around her and the Underworld provided plenty of opportunity to abuse that trait. The small glances that she had made seemed to catch his attention enough to warrant a response, "Oh? Huh. Hotland? Triad?" She hardly expected him to placate her inquires but it was worth a try. There was still so little she knew of this underground network of monsters. The snap of his fingers ran in her ears as the environment shifted and warped only to end up in an enclosed area. She expected to be stuck back upstairs again but that is not where she found herself.

The room she was standing in was small, much smaller in size than the loft-like room that she had been held captive. It must have been at least one third the size not to mention it was a complete mess. Why in stars would someone leave their room this way? The walls were painted in a deep wine color almost blending into the dark wooden baseboard trim that lined the bottom of each wall. There was not even the courtesy of a nightstand or desk. It was just a rectangular cardboard box that rested in the corner of the room. It had a small lamp resting on the top, but it looked like it had not been moved in a long time as it was slowly sinking and making an indent in its cardboard base. There was a treadmill smack dab in the middle of the room with a note hanging from the console that read out of order. There was not much to look at especially with the various colored socks scattered about. The bed was unmade, and the sheets were balled up in one corner. It looked like a tornado has blown through it making an absolute mess.

Sans grimaced at the state of his faux room. He appeared to be tired, lazy, messy, and uncaring to everyone else, but the truth of the matter was that he could not stand this room. He only spent his time in here if it was absolutely necessary. The majority of his time was spent upstairs as much as he could. It was his only way to get away and not have to worry about anything or anyone else in the process. She no doubt was thinking the same thing, but he was not going to explain it to her. Instead, he loosened his grip on her and walked toward the door. His boney palm rested gingerly on the golden knob before he faced her, "Dun ask a'ight? Come on said I'd get ya cleaned up." He returned to open the door peeking his head out into the hallway.

Papyrus had not returned from his usual outing every morning and afternoon which was lucky enough for them both. How was he supposed to explain helping the human to his overly monarchical driven brother? He was a human hunting maniac. That was not an exaggeration. His loyalty was unquestionable. He was sure Pap would try to fight Frisk and he had a feeling that his brother would struggle with the finishing blow. He really only punished those that he knew were guilty and for all, he knew Frisk was an innocent. She had not hurt a single monster not even in self-defense. He could vouch for that fact. A grimace was plastered to his face as he was thrown back into their first encounter in the forest. He shook it off and motioned with a tilt of his head toward the awaiting hallway swinging the door open.

The hallway continued with its wine-colored paint and dark baseboards only to end abruptly and lead to a set of stairs. The stretch of carpet that lined the walkway was just like the rug that she had seen in Sans room. The only difference was the orientation of the wave-like striping that ran the length of the pile. It appeared to be longer than what it really was. On the walls were various picture frames. One of them was hilariously enough just a picture of a painted bone in a pallet of greens, blues, and whites. Another was a picture of Sans and Papyrus. It must have been before Boss was in The Royal Guard as he wore a deep black button-down shirt and crimson vest in the photo. He looked rather dashing, you know for a skeleton that wanted to imprison her. The picture hanging at the opposite side of the hall was a painting of Boss in a sophisticated and regal set of onyx and scarlet armor. It was not the same as she had seen before as he held a helmet under his arm. He looked like a knight from medieval times and all the deadlier. He had a haughty expression with his jagged mouth set into a mild smirk as he looked upwards. She got the impression that Boss thought highly of himself, but the behavior was more for show. The little frames on the wall proved it as he was actually smiling in some of them. Her curiosity was peaked but Sans stood in front of her blocking the view nudging her toward a door just directly off to their right. It was right between the door of the room she had exited and the one closest to the stairs.

Sans just nudged her toward the direction he was intending on taking her from the start lightly using his shoulder. He could see her eyes scanning the entire hallway as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. His eyes landed on her face watching each expression as she continued to ogle the scenery if you could even call it that. She seemed to take particular interest in the set of family photos that hung on the wall. The brothers had placed them upstairs just in case some unsuspecting monster wandered into the house. His brother could not show weakness which was why certain things looked the way they did. That included his room which Pap did not even know about. The whole Underworld was based on false assumptions and pretenses. What looked one way was actually another and vice versa. Not that it was going to change any time soon.

The door to the bathroom swung open surrounded by a crimson glow, "Stop oglin and hop up on tha counter." He just watched her from the open door leaning his elbow against the obsidian countertop. He was trying to look uncaring through it all. He kept some stuff from before in his old lab days. The things that he had used on humans in a false effort to care for them under the command of his father. It was not a pleasant line of work regardless he had the items necessary to dress her wound assisting it to heal naturally. Unlike monsters, humans could be healed magically but their bodies had to have the proper treatment first in order to avoid any complications.

She did as he asked gently hopping up to sit on the counter in the little bathroom. He continued using his crimson colored magic to close the door and rummage in the back of the cabinet near her legs. Her mind was just floating with so many questions and curiosities. The longer she rested there the more that list of inquiries grew. She just silently watched him as he worked inspecting the little bathroom. It was pretty standard with a glass door shower and tub combo. A towel rack and of course a sink and toilet. She did note that the counter she was currently taking residence on was the same material she had seen in Toriel's home. That made sense considering they were all trapped. That they would use similar if not identical building materials. The fixtures were either an obsidian metal or gold, they alternated it would appear. She half wondered if the reason the monsters here were so obsessed with the metal was that there was an abundance of it somewhere. They were all underground after all.

Sans had to dig to the back of the cabinet in order to find the mini first aid box that sat in the corner. He was thankful that his brother had his own bathroom, but he could never be too careful. There was no way he would be able to avoid the copious number of strange things Sans had stashed around. The incident had caused his brother to lose his memories of a particular father figure and he was not going to have something trigger them, good fucking riddance. He pulled the white box out before setting it on the counter next to her flipping the clasp off the plastic box with a light snap and began to pull a bottle and some gauze out of it. When he grabbed everything that he needed he set it aside and looked at her expectantly, "Take off ya sweater."

Frisk noticed that the box he pulled from under the sink was, in fact, a first aid box. How did he have one of those if there were only monsters trapped down here? Did it have to do with something about being lucky number seven? There had been other humans sure but there was no way that he had this box because of them. Even if he did, what had he used it for in the first place? Her mind was swimming only to end up doing a double take, "WHAT!?" She gripped the counter firmly with quivering hands. There was no way she was going to do that even if he seemed relatively tame right now. That could change in a matter of moments and he still had yet to earn her full trust.

Sans just leaned against the counter again tapping his claw-like fingers against the countertop with a bored air about him. Her reaction had him smirking with half-lidded eye sockets, "Kitten if I wanted yer clothes off I woulda done that already. Ya know ah always get what ah want. Just need ya ta trust me so I can patch ya up." He could not help the flirtatious tone that surrounded his speech when he said it. She knew all too well that if he wanted something from her he would barely have to raise a finger to get it. A soft sigh escaped him after she just gawked at him for a while. He lifted his palms into the air in defeat, "A'ight kitten ya win. Ah'll getcha somethin ya can change inta sos ah can treat it. Stay here." A step back and the opening of a door was all that could be heard after the one-sided conversation ended.

When he stood in the hallway he quickly snapped his fingers to end up in his room looking for something open enough for her to wear but not too revealing either. The more he rummaged the more he growled. She had every right to feel that way around him but he couldn't dwell. He grabbed a simple black t-shirt of his and reappeared in the bathroom causing the girl to jump as he did so. He just materialized out of thin air to toss the shirt at her face. The last thing he wanted was to get blood on the garment but the longer they waited the longer it would take for that wound to be healed. He turned his back leaning the front part of his skull against the door and closing his sockets, "Get to it doll. Don't got all day and don't want tha Boss ta find ya."

He had just asked her to remove her top for him to help her and though she knew he was just playing around every muscle in her body tensed. Her mouth was agape at the direction only to see that flirty expression on his face. She did not know what to do until she heard him sigh in which case she received a face full of the shirt when he returned at random causing her to jump and nearly fall off the counter. He had already turned his back to her to let her slip off her sweater and slide the t-shirt over her head. As before it was large enough so that the neckline slipped over her shoulder enough to expose the wound and still be modest, "A...alright."

Sans turned back around to see her looking down sheepishly exposing the injury so that he was able to do what he planned from the start. His shirt nearly drowned her making her look even more small and fragile than she already was. She refused to look at him the entire time that he prepared everything. He placed the towel gently over the top of the brown bottle and tipped it enough so some of the clear liquid soaked the cloth. The skeletal hands that she had once feared gently pulled at a section of her neckline before placing the cloth to the claw marks that raked across her skin. She did not even flinch which had his glowing eyes flicking up to her face. It was supposed to sting but she just kept her head turned away from him the entire process.

Frisk did not want to think that she was suddenly trusting him when that was exactly what she was doing. The cool cloth pressed against her skin as a light burn began to set in. It stung but it was nothing compared to actually having sinister flames lick and devour your skin charing it to the bone. The more these events occurred the more her pains became less apparent. He did not say anything when he finished. She only heard the faint click of the box clasp before it was slipped underneath the sink once more. He had gone out of his way to mend her rather nasty encounter with The Guard. She slipped off the counter. Everything was silent. Her hand reached for her sweater before her entire body released its held tension like a spring.

There was a loud and boisterous knock at the door. They could both hear the contact of bone against wood as the sound intensified with each passing second. At first, all that could be heard was the knocking only to soon be accompanied by a rather distinctive voice, "SANS ARE YOU IN THERE?" She had refused to acknowledge his presence for the time but now they were both looking at each other in shock. Sans clearly was distressed as his crimson eyes were wavering in a sea of obsidian. As if controlled by the same person they simultaneously did a double take. Frisk's throat had gone dry. After all of that and she was about to be caught by Boss? This day could not be any worse, could it?

Sans instinctively felt his neck whip toward the human standing next to him in the confines of the small bathroom. It was tight enough in here as is without an extra body. He felt like his bones had been forcefully jammed with metal rods causing his entire body to stand stick straight. He did not anticipate that Papyrus would be back from the Capital so early. This was not good. The skeleton swallowed thickly before replying in a rather suspicious tone, "Y...yeah Pap?" He was mulling over what he was going to do if his brother caught him in here with a human. Correction, the human. It was not even his brother's bathroom as Papyrus had a bathroom that was right off his own room. This just so happened to be Sans bathroom so why would he…

There was another round of bangs at the door, "I AM BACK FROM THE CAPITAL THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS WE NEED TO DISCUSS BROTHER." Sans just stood there for a moment feeling the pressure of the situation begin to weigh down upon him. The pressure was causing him to make simple mistakes. It was all about the inflection in his voice and currently, he was not doing a very good job at hiding the nerves that had begun to chew at him, "Y...Yeah, Boss, I will be right out. I was about ta… take a shower…" He nearly facepalmed as he used his magic to wrap around the metal shower handle. The shower head sprang to life in a rain of droplets that filled the room with the soft reverberating hum of rushing water. That would be enough to appease his brother right?

Apparently, that was wishful thinking as the next words that slipped through the wooden barrier between the head of the Royal Guard and the younger brother were filled with intent, "SANS I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS. I AM COMING IN." He saw the human next to him go entirely pale. She was pale already in skin tone but she looked almost as if all the color had been sucked out of her. She was as white as a ghost with sparkling gem-like eyes swimming in a sea of white. The panic was starting to set in. He grabbed a hold of her shoulders and tossed her into the back corner of the shower before he removed his upper clothing and tossed it to the floor at an incredible speed grabbing the curtain and pulling it closed before the elder skeleton burst into the room.

What Papyrus saw was an annoyed Sans standing in the shower with the shower curtain draped across him, "The Hell Pap I told ya I was takin a shower." He had placed Frisk directly behind him so that Papyrus would not be able to spot the human. All his brother knew was that he just interrupted his brother's unnecessary shower. The skeleton just placed a hand over his face, "I...APOLOGIZE SANS I THOUGHT YOU WERE BEING TOO LAZY TO COME DOWNSTAIRS. I WILL LEAVE YOU TOO IT. DO MEET ME IN THE KITCHEN POST HASTE." Papyrus nearly tripped on the corner of the rug that spanned the tiled floor before he walked back out the door. He grabbed for the knob a few times with his hand still covering his face and shut it leaving the two in the clear, for now.

Sans released a long-held sigh of relief when his brother exited the room. It was not a perfect plan but for a sudden crisis situation, it worked well enough. He did not see the human so that was all that really mattered. The warm water was still pelting his spine and collarbone as he turned to see a very confused Frisk. She had her fingers knitted together in front of her with wide blue eyes. He could not help the question that forced its way out of his mouth when he turned his neck to look at her, "What is it?" She must have just been afraid that Pap nearly found them out but she was looking at him with that look. Did he break her or something?

His hand came to rest on the temperature control as condensation began to fill the room in a light haze. The heat from the shower was beginning to make the air heavier. It was clearly hot as Frisk, his resident human had flushed cheeks as he glanced her over. It only took one gentle turn of his wrist to shut off the water and pull the curtain aside. The jacket that he always wore was strewn to the side along with his sweater. It just lay on the ground in a haphazard heap. The skeleton lifted his arms toward the sky in an effort to stretch only to snag a towel off the rack and dry his upper body. His eyes landed on her again, "Ya goin ta say somethin or do I gotta make ya? May be a monster doll face but I can't read minds." He just stared at her, towel in hand dripping ever so slightly from his spontaneous shower stunt.

Just like the many times she had been put in a rather precarious situation she barely had any time to process the next set of events. First, she was grabbed by Sans, which caused her to stiffen, and was thrown into the shower adjacent to the pair. Second, he had stripped all the clothes off his upper body revealing his ribcage and spinal column getting in said shower with her. Third Papyrus had stormed in causing her heart to end up in her throat only to leave as soon as he actually saw that Sans was in fact in the shower. She had to question if he lied about the things he was doing often enough that caused Papyrus to question a simple shower. Now she was just standing there processing as he stared at her with the charcoal towel now resting in his hands. She did not even know how to reply at this point, "It's...n...nothing just a little...shaken." The foot that moved to take a step forward slipped causing her to fall deeper into the shower area. She expected to be soaked with a sore lumbar but she felt the distinct set of ribs against her shoulder. He had caught her from falling.

Sans just waited for her answer before she slipped comically in the shower area. He found himself grabbing a hold of her to prevent her from falling. All he did was shake his head with a huff, "I just patched ya up doll. Be a little less clumsy will ya? Can't be catchin ya all tha time." His fingers slid to her forearms helping her stand straight before continuing to dry off. The very implementation and application of magic made even the most simple of mundane tasks easy as he snapped his fingers once again fully dressed. How convenient. He had to meet with this brother but he was starting to worry that this girl was too much of a liability if he housed her here. There was no telling how often Pap would almost if not find this girl. A skeletal hand stretched across his face as he shook it from side to side, "Gotta tink of somethin else."

Frisk did not get a panic attack like she had that one time. It must have been triggered by intent as well as touch. Either way, she was grateful that he had caught her. There was no telling what might have happened if he didn't. Not to mention she would look like a complete moron. That was pretty much already solidified when he called her a clutz, "Yeah….Yeah...I get it. It's not like I would ask you to anyway." She watched the wheels in his mind turn and grind before his fingers slid to his chin. The lights that made up his blood-red gaze were trained on the bathroom floor in contemplation. She had now stepped out of the shower to stand next to him. He was leaning against the countertop were the material rested between his middle back deep in thought. His enthusiastic snap caused her to jump out of surprise.

He had been thinking about a series of options for a while now. It was quite clear that the longer the human was in the house the more likely that Boss would find her. That meant that he had to get her out of the house for a while but still in a place that was safe. At least as safe as she could get being a human fugitive in a world of monsters. His bony fingers scrapped against one another to cause a snap to ring out in the small room. It was such a tiny gesture but due to the rooms size, the acoustics made everything five times louder. He turned to her with a playful grin on his had that look again, "Hows about I take ya ta tha club kitten?~"

Oh, that could not be good. She did not like the sound of that.

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛** **12** **t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

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	21. Downtime

_{Summary}: Frisk is forced to play Russian roulette as she stays trapped in the confines of the skeleton brothers home. There is no hope for escape. Sometimes the pressures of life begin to weigh on the heart and mind. They dig in and try to scoop out the hope only to fill it with despair. That has never stopped her before and sometimes. Just sometimes even in the worst situations. There can be a small ray of hope and a little downtime._

 _{DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains NOTHING bad whatsoever just fluff. Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}_

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 **Welcome to the Underworld** **  
** _{Log 2: Snowdin_

 _Entry 9: Downtime}_

The skeleton leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed and a smirk plastered to his face growing with each passing second. He had a plan to get the human out of the house but it would require a little...persuasion. His crimson eyes stalked her glowing softly in their onyx depths. The tone of his voice had gone from suggestive to flirty in a span of three seconds. He scanned her face noticing how her mouth opened forming a soft "o" with powder pink lips. The way her eyes widened just a little while the space between the white of her eyes and blue expanded had him unable to look away. It made him want to mess with her all the more, "Whazza matta kitten? Ain't inta da night scene?" He waited for her response tilting his upper body toward her, "Betta make a decision quick 'fore Paps comes back." His shoe rested on the bottom of the door only to use his weight to push himself upright as he kept his ruby gaze locked with her stunning blue ones.

Frisk just looked at him. That caring air about him was replaced with a familiar flirty aloofness. She had been somewhat frightened by that jagged grin but it appeared to grow even wider on his face causing that singular gold tooth to stand out in the lighting of the bathroom. The poor human could hardly tell if this was the real Sans Fontaine or the wall he built to survive the treachery of this underground prison. Her hopes clung to the latter but there was no telling which statement was more accurate. She was in his home with his dangerous brother downstairs. There was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. She had no choice but to trust him, "I...I'll do as you ask Sans." Her lip wavered lightly as she replied not prepared for what her skeletal jailer had in mind. The idea of a nightclub was not too threatening though she could only assume he was referring to the building she had passed earlier.

Sans was at least in approval of her compliance as he vanished from her line of sight to appear right behind her lightly grabbing her shoulders before vanishing upstairs once more. He held her there for a moment keenly aware that his fingers were lingering longer than was needed. His fingers grazed over her arms to turn her to look at him. He apparently still did not know the meaning of boundaries. At least she was not shaking any longer and sinking into a space in which only she could follow. The hands that had her arms in a gentle grip loosened and fell to their sides. He closed his left eye socket as if in a suggestive wink, "So darlin' looks like I gotta talk ta da Boss first. Ya gonna be a good little kitten and stay put yeah? Don't want ta see ya climbin' any more trees n shit. I patched ya up once I ain't doin it again. Then we'll head ta tha club. Dere's someone I want ya ta meet." One half of him was dreading the conversation downstairs while the other half seemed to be a little too eager to put his plan into effect.

Frisk was not planning on trying to escape anymore anyway. It all felt relatively pointless as there were only two options for her. The first was to be caught and inevitably killed by The Guard. The second was Sans finding her once again and dropping her off in this room for the third time. It was best to just trust the gold-toothed skeleton as she nodded, "I won't." She had no real choice in the matter anyway. Her mind wandered before she saw the look on his face change from one that was mildly commanding to one of excitement. What the stars was he so excited about? She had a bad feeling about that sudden shift in emotion.

The skeleton just pat her on the shoulder gently with a smile. He nearly always had a smile etched into his face but this time it was softer than normal. He knew that he would have to leave her in order to not raise Papyrus suspicions. His thoughts drifted to what the conversation might be about considering his brother had emphasized its importance. It was a fact that when Papyrus was serious he called meetings downstairs. If he wasn't then he would just scold and mention the subject off-handedly hoping Sans was listening, "Good. Glad yer learnin doll. I'll come 'n get ya when I'm done with Pap." He removed his hand from her shoulder before disappearing once again. She would be just fine on her own if only for a little while.

His boots caused the floorboards to let out a small squeak when he appeared in his room. He was just using it as an in-between and did not even feel the need to clean it up. He didn't sleep here anyway. He passed through the open door and made his way down the steps. His tardiness would not be acceptable when he was summoned so long ago. As he rounded the corner of the staircase he could just barely make out the soft sound of plates in the kitchen. Boss always cooked when he was stressed or his nerves were shot. This was already shaping up to be an interesting conversation.

He made silent strides down the steps and into the kitchen area watching his brother work with a focused expression on his scarred face. He was no longer in his light armor but rather his button up orange shirt. Boss had always been the fashionable one of the two. No one ever saw him in standard attire especially something of such a bright hue. It was a shame how his brother had gone from wearing oranges and purples to blacks and reds. The look in his eye sockets told him that there was something severely eating at his mind. The vegetables met with the blade gently held by his skeletal hands. He had rolled up his sleeves while he worked showing off some scarring closer to the wrist and forearm.

Papyrus was a food connoisseur and had been since they were kids. Even if his brother knew nothing about his day job he still made him meals to take with him every single day. Sans could only assume that it was his way of keeping some normalcy in their upside world order. It was therapeutic for him and kept his mind in balance. Now he hid all those things that made up his personality in order to be the terrifying " _Boss_ " or commander of the Royal Guard. Just standing there Sans scratched the back of his head before making his presence known so that he would be able to get back to the kid, "Hey Pap ya needed ta talk to me?" His brother was rarely startled as he watched the elder set down the knife that was gingerly held in his hands accompanied by an exasperated sigh.

Sans watched as his brother turned to face him. He did not have the expression of the fierce leader of the Royal Guard. His eye sockets had that distinct shade of red that rimmed the outer section of bone making him look more tired than he actually was. It appeared to be a trait that those that suffered endless sleepless torment exhibited. As the elder of the two brothers gestured toward one of the stools at the island Sans took that as a soft encouragement to sit. He would always listen to Pap even if they did not see eye socket to eye socket all the time. He sat on the plush black cushion waiting for his brother to speak.

The skeleton had been preparing a meal before he would have their little conversation. He turned to face his sibling setting down his kitchen knife in the process, dinner could wait. The gloves that he wore on a daily basis were absent from his hands as he raised it to clear his nonexistent throat, "Sans we need to discuss what happened yesterday afternoon. I know that I was rather...harsh on you brother. I worry." He removed his bony hand from his mouth to set in on the island before staring at the black stone of the countertop, "Alphys swears that a human passed by your post. She will not back down brother. If you continue this you could be branded a traitor." Papyrus was usually calm and collected but as of present he was digging the tips of his phalanges into the island with an anxious amount of effort, "Did you or did you not see a human?" His eyes returned back to his brother.

Sans was not one hundred percent sure what the conversion was going to entail but as soon as it began with the events that had transpired the previous day he knew what was coming. He sat on the stool with his arm resting on the counter. His brother was not one to lower his voice even when they were at home. The word traitor smacked him across the face as if he had been hit with a well-placed hand. That had happened earlier but that was not what he was feeling right now. If only his brother knew. A light growl slipped past his jagged mouth. He was not angry at his brother but rather the scientist that insisted that he was lying. He was lying but that's beside the point, "Alphy tryin to brand me as a traitor ta da crown now? Feh… she'll do anythin ta take me down won't she?" He was purposefully avoiding the question as he no longer wanted to lie to his brother. The only problem was that he had no choice.

Papyrus could see the tension in the eyes of the other as he awaited a response. His brother had his teeth nearly mashed together as his frustrations began to peak. The response that he received was neither satisfactory or helpful. In fact, it appeared that the younger skeleton was tiptoeing around the true question entirely. He kept his gaze locked firmly on him as the sockets narrowed, "THOUGH I DO NOT AGREE WITH ALPHYS PETTY SQUABBLE WITH YOU BROTHER, ASGORE KNOWS WHAT IT IS ABOUT, YOU HAVE REFUSED TO ANSWER THE QUESTION." The lankier of the twos nasal ridge was nearly touching the other as he leaned in close to reprimand his facetious sibling. His voice was dangerously steady and slow as he nearly growled out the words, "DID YOU OR DID YOU NOT SEE A HUMAN, BROTHER?"

Papyrus had a relatively tall stature compared to himself and other monsters. While he was at a simple height of five foot nine. His brother was nearly double that height at seven foot six. It made for an impressive interrogation tactic when one loomed over their target shrouding their entire quaking form in shadow save for the ruby burn of eye lights above them. It even made Sans nervous as much as he knew his brother would never physically harm him. One half of the now shrinking skeleton wanted to tell his brother the truth and attempt to explain his reasoning but the other was more logical and cynical forcing the words from his mouth, "Nah Pap ain't seen a human and tell Alph that I ain't dealin with her shit no more. Asgore even told 'er ta knock it off. What I gotta do ta be left alone?" He really was sick of Alphys shit at this point even if this conversation technically had nothing to do with the pale yellow drake.

Boss did not budge from his spot for a few moments watching his brother become a skeletal turtle with the turtleneck and collar he always wore. He had told him to remove the item as it made for a rather unsavory implication considering his title but he would refuse and mutter cryptically in defense instead. The tension housed in his entire body faded allowing him to stand to his full height once more, "Brother I implore you to fix your relations with that woman. I can no longer force my own bias upon them. That is what I wished to discuss. You are free to go about your business as you please." He waved his hand tiredly and made his way back to the cutting board. He was making a vegetable stew tonight as he felt something warm and hearty would be pleasant. His skeletal fingers once again found their rightful place against the handle of the cutlery with ease before turning his head to glance over his shoulder, "Dinner will be ready in an hour." The skeletons attention once again returned to his craft leaving his brother in the absence of speech and soft noises of the kitchen.

The younger of the duo swung his legs to the side of the stool before standing and stretching. His entire spinal column popped consecutively all the way to his neck causing both skeletons to shudder. It was not a pleasant feeling or sound for either of the two. It was time for Sans to return to his little secret. He was afraid that Boss would press the issue further that he noticed more and more that his brother's energy was waning. It was a difficult full-time job to play a part and pretend you were one way when you were really another. This is what their world had imposed upon them all. Even for the skeleton that now made his way up the steps. All he did was snap appearing in his true room once more. The last time that he had teleported his expectations were dashed by finding a certain human captive had escaped. This time that was not the case as he saw her just quietly napping on his bed.

She was curled up on top of the plush midnight blue comforter breathing softly. Her face was relaxed as if she was having a pleasant dream and she had her arms curled around one of Sans pillows. The tip of her nose just gently brushed the fabric as she nuzzled the inanimate object close to her. She treated it as if it were something precious but maybe that was due to the fact that she did not have anything of such value. He stood there for a moment thinking back to the countless times that he had put an end to this human. The one that now looked so peaceful in the arms of sleep. He had thought of her as a threat? Perhaps…

Instead, he moved to the opposite side where the now sleeping human had her restful repose and lay down himself. It was still too early to set his plan into motion as his crimson gaze lingered on the angled ceiling of his room. He hated these moments. The moments that he was forced to wander through his own skull out of sheer boredom. He let his mind drift for a while before his light breathing was added to her own.

Time slipped by quickly straining through the pairs fingers as their sleep was interrupted by each other suddenly. Frisk did not know that she was a cuddler but she ended up waking up in shock to find her arms around a certain sweater-clad skeleton who was snoring softly next to her. The action had her quickly pulling back, shuddering, and then feeling the urge to expel what little she had in her stomach. In fact, she felt she needed to sneak out onto the patio again just to head through the front door and scrub the skeleton off her. Just because he patched her up before did not mean she was just going to have her guard down around him. He had done far too much for her to just ignore.

The instant that she had released her gentle hold on his body Sans awoke with a groan cutting short the earlier reverberation of nonexistent nasal passages. He awoke with a look of disapproval molding his face. He did not know what she had been doing but it woke him up regardless. He rose from his spot on the bed to sit upright and blink sleepily at the girl that was not attempting to flee the area as he assumed entirely. Instead of removing himself from the comforter he placed his skeletal palm under his skull resting it there. His red eyes bore into hers with that lazy grin on his face. The room was bright casting an intense shine on the gold tooth that rested at the very far corner of his mouth. She just stood shifting her weight to one side as he looked at her. Her lips parted to make a feisty quip back at him but the sound of her stomach growling took its place. She had not eaten anything since her breakfast with Mae.

Sans was just eyeing her like a piece of meat waving in front of a starving dogs face. He really had no shame, did he? He must have picked up on her reaction. His arms rose above his head as he sat upright and stretched never quite taking his eyes off her. A soft unexpected yawn that escaped him was the only exception. The growl that emanated from her stomach had him resting his elbows on his knees before speaking, "Hungry dere kitten?" His eye sockets were raised in such a way that added to the rhetorical question. He already knew of her hunger just from the noise alone but that did not stop him from playing with her. He had planned to get her something after dinner with his brother. She had nearly eaten all of Papyrus' cooking before so he assumed it would not be an issue now. Yes, he knew about the lasagna.

The girl did not respond to his inquiry only staring at him with a furrowed brow. The action caused him to roll his eye lights to the top of his sockets and yawned in boredom, "Tell ya what kitten. I'll bring ya somethin ta eat while ya go take a shower." He smirked at her before snarkily responding leaving her no opportunity to speak back to him, "Ya smell likea wet pup." He rose from his spot on the bed to walk a little closer. A gesture that had him noticing that she took a step back in order for her to put some distance between them. The action made him frown for a second before placing his hand in his pocket just staring at her waiting for some kind of retort.

Frisk placed a hand over her stomach in embarrassment as she kept her sapphire eyes glued to him. She had this ever growing fear in the back of her mind that if she blinked just a little too long then he would disappear. There was no way that she was going to let him blindside her anymore, teleportation ability or not. The hand that was gently placed on her stomach gripped at the fabric in annoyance. She was hungry and her rumbling stomach did not help. He had offered to get her some food which she had to admit she would be grateful for. She was sure that her own stomach was beginning to digest itself. What was worse was the fact that her starvation was making her weaker. Her head felt cloudy, her eyes forced themselves to stay open, and she could feel her logical mind beginning to slip from her.

The poor girl's eyes felt like lead weights as she struggled to keep herself afloat in the sea of exhaustion. All she could focus on was her stomach, "I don't need your insults…" She huffed lightly and folded her arms across her chest before looking away, "But a shower does sound nice." Frisk could only imagine that she smelt worse than a wet puppy. She had traversed the perils of Snowdin forest time and time again. The last time that she had taken a nice long relaxing shower was at Toriel's. She had a feeling that the dogs could smell her from a mile away at this point. She was not going to give him the satisfaction. Her display of irritation grew in ferocity as she tapped her foot.

The only way to get out of the room was only two options. The first was to take the route that she had before which evidently did not end up well. He had also gone to great lengths to prevent another escape attempt. The second was to get on Sans good side and have him teleport her out of the room. She had no intention to leave as she knew it was pointless. Not that she wanted to get on any side of him. All her attention, however, was now solely focused on a nice hot shower and a bite to eat, "Well?" She was beginning to feel a little snarky and knowing his disposition he would either play along or he would be aggressive.

Sans felt a chuckle bubble up from his chest to mix with his baritone of a voice, "Well sure doll. Can't have ya stinkin up tha place can I?" He laughed again before taking another step toward the human girl trying to act tough in front of him. She was rather feisty he would give her that. A skeletal hand outstretched toward her, "All ya gotta do is take ma hand doll." He had been keeping his distance up until this point. His attention was solely on her and her comfort level. She had slapped him across the face before and cowered in his presence. After the events beside the river, she had loosened up a bit. He wanted to see how she would react given the choice.

Frisk had her head turned away from him with a snort of disapproval at another insult. She did not even have to turn her head to see out of her peripherals that he was inching closer to her. Her first inclination was to take a step back but her body would not comply with that command. Instead, it kept her in place only to force her gaze back on the skeleton that now had his hand extended to her. The voice in the back of her mind continued to gnaw at her telling her to stay strong. At first, her fingers nearly touched his open palm only to pause and pull back a little bit. She had to trust him right? Even if she did not want to do it. It took but a moment as her hand met with a boney palm. It enclosed around her hand bringing her a surprising tender warmth.

She should have known better as he tugged her forward causing her to nearly faceplant into his chest. He really enjoyed doing that, didn't he? Her reaction was still the same. A single shudder that had his smirk only growing a little wider though the aura behind it felt very different than before. She glared at him, "Would you mind?" Her eyes were narrowed and eyebrows furrowed in genuine frustration. It would seem that Sans would not give her personal space anytime soon. She was forced to look at him the entire time causing her stomach to turn only for the scenery of the room to change to that of the bathroom. All she wanted was a nice hot shower though showering in the house made her feel more exposed.

He released her once they were inside the bathroom. He could not send her to Grillby's like this. She had to look her best right? The skeleton used his bony thumb to point toward the set of double cabinets under the sink, "Heres tha deal kitten. Gotcha some stuff under the cabinet. Just make sure ta put em back after otherwise, Pap is gonna be suspicious. Ya got it?" Sans crossed his arms looking her up and down. She was still in one of his t-shirts which practically drowned her. He could see her small form tense underneath as she looked toward the floor. A groan escaped him as he snapped his fingers in front of her face, "Doll ya hear me or do I gotta stay an make sure ya do what I told ya?"

Frisk's desire to wrap her arms around herself only grew as he spoke. His threat to stay in here with her was what caused her to snap her head up and shake it violently, "I...I got it. You can go." She wanted to say get the Hell out but that would not go over well. At least that is what she thought. The more she bit back the more he seemed to be more amused by it than anything. Her fear of him and what he might do was still ever prevalent in the back of her mind though not as much as it had before. _Wait did he just mention that he had gotten stuff specifically for her?_ She shook her head of the thought flinging it to the farthest reaches of her subconscious. The skeleton in front of her did not utter another word only nodded his head and disappeared from view.

The first thing that she went to do was to bolt the bathroom door to prevent another scene of Papyrus barging in or anyone else for that matter. Her fingers clasped the little metal piece hearing a satisfying click before she turned to face the mirror. Her stomach lurched as she began to remove her clothing. The shower would be a welcome respite from all the events leading up to this point. She reached for the handle watching the water begin to pour from the golden fixture numbly. Her foot stepped onto the tiled floor only to stand under the beating water for a moment. Her eyes slid closed as a soft sigh escaped her. A small wince fell from her lips as her fingers brushed over her collarbone gingerly.

The pale white skin just underneath her gentle touch was marked with deep incisions. One after the other in a circular pattern. It stood out from her flesh in painful red marks. They were spaced evenly apart now starting to blacken. She wiped away the blood that remained only to watch the crimson begin to swirl around in the drain. It hurt. It was like having a knife slowly make its way into the flesh in multiple places. She was strong but even then she could not resist the pain the swelling from the wounds caused her. Her fingers slipped to hold tightly to her opposite arm before tears began to fall from her cheeks. Why was this happening to her? What did she ever do to deserve to suffer like this?

Frisk ended up sitting on the tile of the bathroom with her head in her hands curled up as if she willed herself to disappear. All she did was cry. She had done it before but never so much. All the trauma all the death. It was slowly breaking her down and no one cared. All she had in this world was herself. She was completely alone. Her legs shakily forced her to finish her supposed to be a relaxing shower. The bottles that Sans had placed under the counter for her had been oddly familiar as she wiped at her eyes with a thumb. She did not get the guy. One minute he was considerate and calm the next he… Once again her fingers quaked to touch the marks in her skin.

She could not let this break her apart. Not now, not ever. Her hands reached for the bottle only to realize that it was the same brand and scent that she had used in The Ruins. The bottle top popped off easily letting her pour the contents into her hand. She was grateful that he had something for her to use. All she did was let her eyes fall closed as she slid her fingers through her hair. The scent of orange blossom and golden flowers filled the room mixing with the steam. It was relaxing. It was such a sweet scent that enveloped her even after she turned off the shower and stepped out to dry herself off. It was no wonder that Sans had picked up on the scent multiple times not that she was aware that he knew. She found the choice of product just a coincidence as she slid the bottle back under the sink like she was instructed.

The mirror in front of her stared back through a sheen of condensation. She grabbed a towel off the rack and wiped the foggy film away with a gentle swipe. It only took a few wipes before she peered into the glass to see the viewer. She was still thin rosy cheeks glowing in the heat of the enclosed space. Her blue eyes nearly glowed behind inky lashes. Her pale skin never changed except for the scars her body was a canvas for. Those blue eyes stared back at her sadly.

 _*Despite everything it's still you...obviously..._

That was true and yet her spirits continued to fade. She stood there feeling as though with each passing second a part of her was being chipped away. It was not a physical pain but an intuitive feeling. She did not notice it before but there on the counter was a pair of fresh clothes for her to wear. They were neatly folded ready for her to extract them. She could only assume that Sans had appeared while she took her shower and left them here. It was a nice thought that began to sour as she turned it over in her head. Did he not know the meaning of the word privacy? Anyway, she was grateful for the clothing.

The garments that lay neatly folded on the counter were picked up one by one. The first item she grabbed was the thin black tank top that she wore. Her dainty fingers found the warm familiar knit of her red sweater pulling it over the black tank top with ease before moving onto the other pieces. She slid her fingers through her hair to fix it up a little bit even though it was still wet. The auburn appeared deeper and richer in color as it stayed plastered to her forehead. That was one of the drawbacks of having bangs. Her fingers came up to push some of it out the way with her body bending over toward the mirror. Her attention was solely focused on the task at hand only to end up jumping at the fingers that tickled her waist.

A gasp escaped her as the skeleton toyed with her sides, thank stars she was covered properly, "SANS!? S...Stop it!" She was no longer going to play the afraid little human. No, if she needed to tell him off she would, "Seriously stop." She tried to turn and face him only able to see his reflection from the defogged edges of the mirror. The opposite reaction was what she received as he pulled her back from the mirror clasping a skeletal palm over her lips. He was trying to silence her. All she heard was his voice in her ear.

Sans teleported back into the room after having left a nicely folded set of clean clothes for her, _again_. He felt like he was starting to become some sort of glorified housemaid. She was leaning over the bathroom counter attempting to adjust her sopping bangs. _Too easy_. Just like all the times prior he wrapped his bony arms around her waist pulling her away from her little chore. The protests that flew from her lips forced him to clasp his hand over her mouth. Yeah, that could work to his advantage. She was being far too loud, "Ya tryin ta get us caught doll? Do me a favor an keep that pretty voice of yers quiet." The skeleton just assumed that she was finished so he teleported them back to his room.

Frisk was tempted to smack him again though he did have a point. She was being relatively loud and that bathroom provided no noise reduction. She half expected a golden spiked boot to kick down the door at any moment now. That would never come to pass as the mirror melted and twisted. It was as if everything was placed in a mixing bowl distorting the image in front of her. Every time! Every time she had to shut her eyes in order not to make her insides her outsides. It was so nauseating that when everything solidified she still felt like she was the victim of being caught in a washing machine.

He held her letting the girl double over trying to ease her sour stomach. She did not appear to enjoy his little "shortcuts." Her delicate human body was easily thrown out of equilibrium. When she was done he gently let her go. He had planned to take her to Grillby's today but the thought slipped his mind after having a conversation with Papyrus. A bony hand came up to scratch at the back of his skull mulling his limited options over. An auditory manifestation of his frustrations slipped past his mouth as he groaned. What was he going to do? He decided to take her to Grillby's tomorrow just so he could keep an eye on her for the rest of the day. The only obligation he had was dinner. He also had to feed the kid.

Sans stared her down removing his hand from his skull and grumbling, "Stay 'ere." The growls that erupted from her stomach before were happening more frequently. Pap should be done with dinner by now so that was his perfect opportunity to swipe some food. He could feel her gemstone like eyes watching his every movement. It made him a little uncomfortable as he teleported out of her sight to the bottom floor.

Boss had his feet up on the small coffee table situated in the main part of the living room reading what looked to be a novel of some kind. It was a crimson book with silver embossed lettering on the front but most of it had been worn away. His brother's literature choices aside he approached the main living area and cleared his throat only to receive a raised brow from his brother. The lanky skeletal General set his book down on the table in front of him only to cross his arms waiting for the other to speak. It was quite clear that he had been waiting there for an amount of time he did not have the patience for, "Are you finally ready to eat Sans?"

They always ate together. They were all they had. Each other. They were always there for each other no matter the circumstances. The younger of the two lazily strode over into the kitchen, "Yeah Pap. Sorry I was late just thinkin bout earlier." It was not necessarily a lie but rather a half-truth as he sat at the counter ready for a "family dinner." What was left of their family anyway? Sans turned his head to take stock of Papyrus when the nearly glided into the kitchen. He was so tall that it only took him a few steps in order to make it from one point to the other.

The aroma of garlic, onion, and red wine wafted from the pot of stew as soon as Papyrus lifted the lid letting out a small cloud of stream. The cold climate of Snowdin made hearty hot dishes well suited for the weather and there was no better chef than the Head of the Royal Guard. The taller skeletons back were turned as he picked up the bowls and began to scoop the contents onto a collection of curly noodles. The hearty vegetable stew would make anyone's mouth water. He began to put some of the ingredients away as the bowls steamed on the counter. It was a good thing Papyrus always made extra so that he could bring a portion to the starving human locked in his secret room.

The dinner was quiet as the two ate. Occasionally he would look over at his brother seeing if he had something to talk about but he did no such thing. They ate quietly in peace until Papyrus rose from his chair and walked off for a moment. This was the perfect opportunity for him to make the kid a bowl. He quickly grabbed a hold of the black plastic spoon and shoveled some leftover noodles into the black bowl gripped in his skeletal hands. A small ladle of stew over the top completed the dish which he promptly set on the counter. After a quick wash of his dishes, he teleported upstairs.

Frisk had been waiting for Sans to return. His promise of food caused her stomach to continue to gnaw away at itself. There was that brief moment while the warm water soothed and relaxed her that she had forgotten about the ever-growing pains in her stomach. It was not like food was scarce here but being who she was the opportunity to have a decent meal was far and few between. She was starting to feel her eyes slowly give into their own weight before Sans appeared in the room setting a bowl on the table along with a silver fork. It took but a moment for her to blink and he was gone, presumably back downstairs.

Her hands reached for the bowl as the warm black ceramic radiated into her palms. It was a soothing warmth that she placed on her lap. It just rested between her denim short covered thighs. This had to be a dish made by Papyrus judging from the aroma that floated upward toward her nose. The scent was heavenly with a mix of tender vegetables and spices. She dug in only to roll her eyes and hum at the flavors that hit her tongue. It was just like the lasagna she had eaten before and yet this had a whole array of flavors and spices. The food warmed her belly and as she ate she could feel her consciousness waning. A decadent dish like the one that once resided in the bowl on her lap, was so filling that one would feel their energy begin to fade away. Frisk set the now empty bowl on the bedside table closest to her as she lay her head down on the bed. She felt terribly tired which was understandable. It was night after all.

A few moments passed and Sans returned to his room only to find a sleeping human and an empty bowl. As he scooped up the vacant dish he glanced her direction watching the small rise and fall of their chest as they found a peaceful nights sleep. Her guard was completely down as she slept. A death sentence to most and yet she trusted that he would be on his best behavior. The fact that she was able to sleep here at all was a testament to her trusting nature. He would quickly warp to the kitchen, clean the dirty bowl, and return to the room. The next day was going to be a trying one. He slipped over to lay next to her using the toe of his boot to kick off the other.

Tomorrow was going to be the day. The day that his plan would be put into effect. A plan that he had hinted to before in a mocking flirtatious tone, _What's tha matter kitten? Ya ain't inta tha nightlife scene?_ His eye sockets fell closed for the second time that day before he too drifted off. They both slept peacefully for once, even Sans who rarely slept at all. His skull was filled with too many memories like some kind of shlock movie theatre. Their world dictated that kindness was a weakness, that feelings were a weakness and most of all that any other motto besides looking out for oneself was a death sentence. Papyrus had every right to worry as his brother was playing with fire. The soft sound of snoring drifted through the room with all those thoughts locked away. It was finally time for some well-deserved rest.

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛** **12** **t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

 _End of Entry..._


	22. Nightlife

Chapter 22: Nightlife

Summary:

Frisk is unsure what Sans has in mind when he mentions any sort of nightlife but she can only assume it will not be good for her. He wants her to meet an "ole pal" of his that owns a very suspicious establishment along the strip in town. She feels she has passed this area before and perhaps even seen it on her journey. There is only one question that remains, what is that skeleton up to?

{DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains NOTHING bad whatsoever just fluff. Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

* * *

 **Welcome to the Underworld  
** {Log 2: Snowdin

Entry 10: Nightlife}

Frisk walked in a daze along the pieces of her dreamscape. Even the knowledge of being confined by her skeletal jailor was not enough to yank her from her peace. At one point she did not even have the opportunity to dream. Every waking moment was filled with the nightmares that came from the very depths of the black pit of despair she constantly tried to bury. The blood flowed endlessly in ruby pools, the monsters tore at her with their blade-like fingers, and the darkness suffocated her squeezing the very last breath from her lips. Here she was at peace. Here she could wander in a light she desperately wanted to bask in. That was not an option for her. A small window. An underground prison. The light eluded her and everyone here. In reality .

The place she found herself was a giant empty blank space like a neverending winter. A landscape shrouded in a blinding white light that seemed infinite in its reach. It was like walking along a path of shattered mirrors and glass. Each and every one a new scene. Some of them were memories that were splashed in small fragmented worlds. Some were hopes and dreams that refracted the bright colors of their microcosm. The dream that she had before was the largest shard. It was the one she stopped in front of just staring into its surreal depths. A promise of a fantasy that was implausible. Her feet did not move as she just stared longingly into the world of her conjured mind, lost in what could be.

Her fingers slid over the glassy surface having only a little resistance. There was a place beyond this veil that held all her hopes and dreams. A family. A life. Love. Happiness. She belonged in this fragmented construct. She wanted to belong. Her deepest desires here were realized. It was far from a normal life but at least she had people that cared about her. Even in the pathway of dreams elicited the cool salty taste of tears as they slipped down her cheeks. She felt like such a crybaby lately just constantly in a state of emotional anguish. All she wanted was to see this come true. To have a life with others around her. It was never going to happen as she stared on, watching the two skeleton brothers exchange sharp-toothed smiles. Their laughter filled the distorted utopian space leaving her wanting to step through the veil and never step out.

She did not belong there as much as she wanted slowly turning to block the sight from view. The figment behind her took hold of her arm. It was a hand she was familiar with. A hand that caused her entire body to freeze as it pulled her back into the illusion she had tried to obstruct. It was Sans. He was looking at her with brow bones furrowed and a sad smile, "Hey doll where ya goin? You've been so distant why don't ya hang out with Pap an I?" He held her to him gently with a loose grip on her arm.

She was able to pull away at any time, "Y...you are not real." Her head slowly turned to look at him as Boss just watched the two. The image should not have been able to break free of that little shard and yet he was outside of it attempting to pull her into the veil. How was that even possible? All she could do was shake her head repeating what she had said just seconds prior, "You are not real. None of that is real." The skeleton looked at her before gently letting go, "What do ya mean I ain't real?" He jokingly patted his jacket to prove a point, "Seems real ta me." She shook her head once more this time a little more violently, "NO you are just a stupid delusion that I have and you are not real. Why am I torturing myself like this!?" She gripped her head before she realized he was staring at her the entire time, "huh. Ya know kitten yer bein real hard on yerself. Besides ya think this is all stupid?"

Frisk did not know what to do. He was not real and nothing around her was real either yet he still insisted on it as if it was, "Please….please don't…I can't." The expression etched into her face was one so filled with pain that even the figment in front of her ended up wrapping her in a hug. She knew she was just laying on the bed asleep in her prison being watched over by a very insufferable skeleton that probably would have killed her where she slept if it was not for the reset every time. A cruel reminder that what she wanted and the reality were nearly complete opposites. Even if it was fabricated all she could do was relax in his arms. It was warm and inviting as she buried her face into the faux fluff. Her dream self should have pushed him away but her desperation for even a small sliver of comfort won out. She was safe here.

His hand rested on the back of her head threading through her hair, "Hey. Ya know ya don't have to hold it in like ya do." She just shook her head in response. Who was she supposed to tell? How pathetic was she right now conjuring him up of all people to comfort her? Maybe it was because so far he had hurt her the most and it could only get worse from here, "Frisk?" She heard his voice trying to get her attention but she knew at any minute she would be back in her hell of a life, "I...I'm sorry what is it?" He brushed her forearms with cool bony palms and maneuvered her so that he could get a look at her face, "Ya can't give up Frisk. We...are all countin on ya. Me. Tha Boss. All of us. Know you can do it doll but ya gotta stay strong." Seriously? He had faith in her. Again... pathetic . She smiled sadly watching the world begin to fade as it always did to drop her in the throes of reality, "I promise."

The world of dreams broke apart one memory and fragment at a time. It was a shard of glass that cracked more and more splitting into a thousand pieces only to vanish into the light surrounding the area. At least her sleep this time was interrupted and free of nightmarish hellscapes. It was nice to have this small slice of peace. A small slice of hope. The Sans that her mind had conjured and the one outside of this scape were remarkably different. Even so, that spark of hope lingered that maybe one day this fading fantasy may become reality. A reality unimpeded by the past. A happy and fortunate future filled with peace and hope.

A happy and fortunate future filled with peace and hope . That was not right. This story would reach its conclusion when her job was finished. A future was not in the cards for her. As much as the thought was dark in nature it was an undeniable truth. She would not survive this journey. A goal to make it to the end. A goal that would leave her lifeless body void of a soul. This was her path. No. She would never be able to see what lay beyond that magical barrier.

Frisk awoke to find herself staring at a doorless room. The same one that she had found herself trapped endlessly. She had fallen asleep while Sans went to go have his little family meeting with his brother. The food that sat in her stomach after his exit had caused her energy level to plummet. It left her blinking repeatedly in an effort to stay awake and eventually the exhaustion won the battle. Her head lay gently upon the cobalt comforter drifting into the peace of rest. Even if she was a prisoner she seemed to sleep better under a roof. She was grateful that Sans had kept her here in a way. That did not by any means mean that she fully forgave him for his earlier infraction. At least she was able to cope enough with it.

She found herself turning to her side only ending up with a skeletal face just inches from her own. Sans must have fallen asleep as well only this time he had his hands behind his head. The soft flow of breath through his unnatural spiked teeth left her scooting away. He was once again much too close for comfort. It seemed to be a standard thing when it came to Sans, not that he had any idea what he did as he slept. What time was it now? It was so difficult to tell as the level of light was always the same. A small shift in his restful pose had her staring into half-lidded eye sockets. The red light that comprised his eyes was glowing softly staring at her. She moved back a little more. He was watching her but said nothing. There was one question that persisted to nag at her mind, was he really asleep or was he faking it?

The skeleton turned his head to look at the human next to him. A restful nap was always appreciated. His eyes stayed locked with his pacifistic prisoner. She did not appear to look angry or sad. All she had was a small flush and lips parted marginally. There was nothing to be said. He had no intention of moving her from the spot she now rested. Even her deep blue sapphire eyes appeared to stay focused on him. They were just staring at each other before he was forced to break the silence, "Sleep well there kitten?" A simple question to which she replied, "Just fine." The human in question rarely gave such a concise answer, "Looks like yer stuck with me fer a bit till I intraduce ya."

Frisk tired to pull her gaze away from him but just like the rest of the monster eyes she had witnessed it was almost hypnotizing. It explained why everyone found her eyes so vibrant and saturated in deep blue. Her soul was just as bright and the monsters were no exception. Sans eyes really did have that rich ruby red glow. The exact same kind as his brother. She was stuck with him? Well, that was the understatement of the century. There was no way out anyway what did he expect her to do? It was not like she could just fly though that would be admittedly very useful and ? He was going to introduce her to who? Her mouth opened to inquire about it, "Introduce?" The more she thought about it the more she realized that he must have been talking about someone at the establishment down the road. The one she had passed previously for fear of attracting unwanted attention. What was the name of the place again?

*Grillbys

Sans kept his eyes on the human only turning to the side to use his elbow for support. His usual default grin stayed on his face as he spoke with a rather aloof tone, "Yeah, takin ya ta see an ole friend kitten. Names Grillby." He was sure the fire elemental would get a kick out of being rebellious as he always had. That and he could not risk Papyrus finding her anywhere in the house. It would spell trouble for him as well as her. It was not an easy task to protect a human girl from the wrath of an entire race. What a concept, him, protecting a human? The centuries of blood coated vengeance and rage had twisted those in power into the true origin of their namesake. The look on her face had him backtracking as his red eyelights danced in their sockets, "Don't worry kitten. Don't ya trust me? Not gonna let anythin bad happen to ya." He almost smirked at the last part out of pure amusement.

Her urge to slap him was once again resurfacing as she turned to look at him with furrowed brows. She was not a fan of waking up next to him peaceful dream aside. When Sans mentioned that he was going to escort and take her to someone she froze. There was that smug grin again as she relaxed rolling her eyes in irritation. The only response she got at her mild defiance was a hearty laugh. He was enjoying this far too much for her liking. She felt so torn just like her opinion on him it would seem. On one hand, he had done something horrible and on the other, he actually took care of her afterward. It was so baffling and irritatingly confusing all at the same time, "I think you know the answer to that question." She huffed lightly before sitting upright and turning her back to him. She really had no choice in the matter.

He rose from his spot on the comforter next to her to stand with his hands lightly placed within the confines of his pockets. The plan was to grab her and make their way over to Grillby's before it even opened but that was when he realized she had not once saved. He did not have any desire to go through a set of days once again and so it would be advantageous for her to cement that progress. His hands reached for the jacket that he wore so often leaving him waiting on her, "Ready ta go?"

She could feel the warm breath that passed her lips from the sigh of irritation, "I guess…" Her leash as she was now calling it was tight around her neck. That was just how it was at the moment. Even if she was not ready then he would most likely hurry her along to meet this Grillby he kept mentioning. She remembered the exterior of the club as if it's purple lighting had burned its way into the back of her skull. A building with no windows which she distinctly remembered was a disturbing detail. What kind of building had no windows? What kind of room had no doors? All architectural curiosities that she had been forced to ponder flooded her mind. It would appear that monster architects had the knack for omitting vital amenities within their designs.

The very minimal amount of patience he had was wearing thin as he gently grabbed her arm disappearing from this plane of reality for a split second then returning to find snow beneath their boots. As a spectator of being forced to stick a middle finger to the laws of space and time, Sans had become used to the blinks. His human companion, however, was not. The pair were just next to the star that Frisk had first used upon entering the little snow-laden town. He moved to release his hold on her smoothly nudging her toward the floating glowing representation of progress.

Frisk could feel her stomach lurch as she was gripped tightly by the arm. Oh no, not again. The surroundings began to warp leaving her standing there with a weightlessness akin to falling. It may have been her fall from the world above that affected her more than it may have others. That or Sans just did not really care about his passengers. Either way, it forced her body into an arching position in which she curled in on herself holding her stomach with a well-placed arm. They were back at the beginning of the town line and from what she could tell right next to Mae's shop. Why of all places did he bring her here? That was when she noticed the soft glow just a few feet away followed by her being unceremoniously nudged in that same direction. She understood what he wanted now. He wanted her to save.

She had no reason to deny that request considering she did not want a repeat of the last couple of days either. The pale skin of her hand was shrouded in that warm inviting golden light adding more color to a world that seemed to be void of it. The one anomaly that connected her to a much larger purpose in this place. It was so strange. It fluttered in her hands as she came to cup it feeling the heat on her skin from its dazzling amber glow. As before her eyes closed as a gentle and calming expression graced her face. She was smiling in that small fraction of time. Just basking in its warmth. The more she interacted with the stars, the more the journey progressed, the stronger she felt their power. The souls, hearts, and minds of those she was beginning to befriend felt as though they were around her keeping her together. The warmth did not come from the star itself but rather those relationships she held in her own heart. The soft sound of snow crunching next to her had her opening her eyes and turning her head. It was Sans. He was just watching her in a calm and curious way.

The skeleton had moved to stand beside her watching with inquisitive sockets. He personally saw the glowing specks of light but he could never touch them. They slipped through his bony fingers as if it was he who was the ghost. She, on the other hand, was able to touch them and far more. The gentle light painted her skin in light saffrons and oranges with her eyes closed. He noticed that the color of the light would shift from time to time. At one point it was bright emerald, other times it was yellow, or orange. It was a curiosity even for him. Her face was soft as the light danced in her awaiting palms. This was much more than just a simple save. It was an almost spiritual experience for the human he had his focus on. When it was over the glow subsided and dulled leaving her opening those vibrant sapphire eyes to look at him.

The bright canary color reflected off those blue eyes giving them a soft green tone. Those pink lips were still upturned in a gentle smile as she looked at him. The whole thing caught him off guard as he blinked a few times without exchanging any form of verbal communication. She knew that he could see everything that was happening and yet he could not feel that energy like she did. His hand came to reach for the same object of her attention before his hand passed right through it.

She watched him just stare at her for a moment. He looked horribly curious, confused, and frustrated all at the same time. Her eyes drifted to the outstretched hand that came to take a hold of the star that still rested in her hands. The cool bone rested in her palms passing right through the glittering speck of light. He was unable to touch it unlike her even if he was one of the few able to see it. Her hand pulled away to let the star return to it's fixed position giving off a dull yellow light that reflected off of the wood of the shop beside them. These little stars appeared to make the area around them just a little more inviting. She let his fingers rest in her palms before pulling her hands back to rest at her sides, "You can't touch it?" The look on his face caught at her. There was something about that simple comment that made him look at her the way he did.

He did not directly say anything to her inquiry but he did shake his head before turning away to right himself. He would never truly know their purpose all he could do was observe. It was a little frustrating as he rested the tips of his phalanges on her soft palms. No, he couldn't touch them. He could only see them. A cruel reminder of his less than savory origins. All he did was shove his hands into the pockets of his black leather bomber and huff. She saved so that was good. The less repetition the better. He made a gesture with his head to indicate that they were on their way, "Come on kid let's go."

Frisk could not pinpoint the exact emotion that she examined while staring into those guarded red eyes. He showed his emotion in various ways. His eye lights would brighten or waver, his sockets would act as eyelids in a way, and that sharky mouth could pull into various shapes. This reaction, however, left her conflicted. As he pulled away she didn't even argue about being brought to the monster establishment to which he intended to introduce her to an old friend. She just followed along in silence as they walked.

It was odd to walk side by side with him as if they were friends which she knew he only tolerated her existence so that was never going to happen. If she did not have that context she would have thought they were just taking a casual stroll to get a bite to eat. Sans was quiet the entire way letting the sound of snow crunching fill the frosty air. She just gently looked around as they walked. It was an odd detail to mention but the crystals that made up the streetlamps littered throughout the main square would grow in intensity the closer they approached. They did not do that before so she had to assume that the crystals reacted to magic in some way. Curious .

The building came into view with its fuschia fire like ambiance crawling up its onyx walls. It looked no different from before when she had very briefly strode past its ostentatious facade. The sound of a muffled boom could be heard from inside the building's walls as they approached. She half expected Sans to march her through the double doors to gain access but he made a detour unlatching one of the plum velvet ropes that were strung on either side of the building. It could not be considered an alleyway but the wall of evergreens that stretched the length of the building on the left-hand side certainly did make it feel that way.

In the far back embedded within the overlay of molten obsidian rock was a simple metal door. You could have missed it if not for the metallic shine that the gunmetal material gave off. It was housed in a simple black frame with a large pullable handle. She watched in silence as Sans opened the door hearing a soft click from the action and sweeping his hand to the side. He wanted her to enter before him and she did not like the idea of him being behind her. She never did and never would. Her feet reluctantly gave way to step over the threshold and into the dark recess of the open door. The moment it fell closed she was trapped in the creeping shadows only seeing faint hints of blue and purple lighting further down the hallway they now found themselves. The music from before was still muffled albeit more clear than before. It was clearly the kind of music one might find in a large city underground nightclub. The thumping and music notes reverberated through the entire corridor as Sans nudged her to keep moving forward.

The hallway stretched on as if it were never going to end with dark corners sinking deeper into the onyx embrace of the blackness that lined the way. She could barely make out the recessed door frames along the corridor all of their metal keyholes locked. There was some light overhead that very faintly glowed a soft mix of cyan and purple. It just barely touched the top half of each door frame. The small glow gave her the ability to actually see where she was stepping after a while. One's eyes had to adjust to the dark. She half thought that Sans was expecting her to trip but she had been in this position before. It was right before she had been subjected to Papyrus and his Bridge of Doom.

As the music began to grow so did the reverberation. It caused her stomach to feel a little queasy just from the beat alone. There was no doubt that this place was some sort of nightclub. She supposed that the monsters needed some form of entertainment. There was finally a light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak, as she walked toward the illuminated room beyond. Sans had stopped leading her forward she noticed but he was clearly still there as she saw his skeletal hand extend just beyond her line of sight. She could almost see the light red glow that his eyes gave off as he moved to walk alongside her just as they did before they entered the building. Her mind began to dig into itself once more trying to piece together why Sans would even have a desire to bring her here in the first place. It was to meet someone sure but was that all? She could not say that she knows him too well but what she did know of him was that she would not put it past him to have some sort of ulterior motive in all of this.

The fluorescent lighting blazed in intensity as they both stepped from the dark recesses of the hallway out into the main area. Oh, it was a nightclub alright. A stunning one at that. The decor and lighting alone had her slack-jawed at the sight with blue eyes staring at every little detail. It was not too dissimilar in tone to the exterior of the building. The flame motif was everywhere not to mention a bright color palette of blues and purples that seemed to encompass the entire space. There was not one section that was untouched by some fluorescent aesthetic. Even with its high volume of neon, it was still a classy place.

The main area was broken into a few sections. The first section was the outer portion. The floor was a deep obsidian with golden flecks embedded into its glossy stone surface as it ran around the outside section of the floor. The center of the entire room was recessed with a red carpet that had patterns that resembled mesh. The lighting overhead was provided with moving lights that occasionally moved back and forth shining their mix of purple and blue light around the space. There were dark wooden tables and chairs all housing a small multi-color flame that danced in the cylindrical glass holders on each table. She had seen a flame similar before in the grate in Toriel's hearth. It must have been made by magic or it was influenced by the magic around it.

She looked up to notice that the glass paneling overhead housed a similar flame like lighting that twisted and crawled its way against the glass. It was quite impressive though her affinity for fire after The Ruins was little to be desired. The walls curved and undulated outside the main circle all lined with a bright cyan strip of lighting illuminating the purple walls decorated with an almost tribal black tattoo like flames. To the left of the pair was a fully stocked bar. The lighting in the secondary bar area was a little more subdued with hanging fixtures. They hung down from the ceiling in a glass cylinder that housed a metallic rock that glimmered and sparkled as the light illuminated it from within shining through the pores onto the black stone bar counter.

The bar curved outward in an arch with the same black lava rock as its composition. The various booze and bottles shimmered reflecting the array of colors in the space. A few metal bar stools lined the way for potential customers each with a monogrammed crystal glass. What a neat club. If it were not for the fact that she was a fugitive here she would have liked to spend time enjoying the atmosphere as a customer. Sans almost uncharacteristically soft voice tore her from her observations as he maneuvered her shoulders toward the metal staircase just off to the left, "Must be upstairs." It spiraled upward toward the second floor of the building doused in red and orange lighting from above.

The ascent to the upper floor had her glancing over the side of the gunmetal spiral stairwell to try and see the layout of the entire club in more detail. The very top of the floor was lined with a nice rich hardwood. This area, in particular, looked to be more of a lounge with surprisingly another bar identical to the one downstairs in the center back. The layout was a set of various crescent-shaped booths centered around a table. Some of them appeared to have the function to set a drink or some food but others had metal poles coming from them. What did she say before? Any establishment with no windows as bound to be shady. Well, now she knew why Sans liked the place. The booths were upholstered in a metallic grey and black fabric and sewn in such a day to be reminiscent of royal thrones with a button in the center of each diamond-shaped recess. The last thing to note in this area where the light fixtures overhead that had an almost spiderwebbed like configuration. Out of everything that she had seen they seemed the most out of place.

She took a step forward still observing the decor before she was stopped by Sans who stepped in front of her. They were not alone in this section which might account for his sudden actions. Her eyes shifted to the figure sitting at one of the booths closer to the back with a view overlooking the entire club. He had a crystal glass in his hand and feet up relaxing not even turning to acknowledge their presence. They approached slowly to stand beside the stranger who looked terribly bored just from body language alone. He rotated his wrist to swirl the dark amber contents within the glass. His other hand held a cigar limply as he rested his elbows on the back of the booth seat. She was unsure if she should be concerned or not but the moment he raised the cigar to his mouth causing the tip to smolder in a bright amber and sunburnt glow did she piece together who this was.

Sans had taken her through the back way. He was concerned that there might have been some early birds that would have interfered but luckily no one was present. He moved her through the back hallway and out into the main lobby watching her expressions change and eyes sparkle at all the lighting. He had always told Grillby that it was a little over the top for his taste but the rest of his patrons begged to differ. He was not on the first floor not much to his surprise so he led her up the stairwell to the lounge area. If Grillby was here he would be on the second floor before opening. It was still a while off but no one could be too sure around here. They finally found the fire elemental resting in a bored posture with his feet up at one of the booths. She was still moving her head from left to right eyeing every little thing. What a weird kid . She was going to have to grow up fast.

Grillby finally turned his head toward the pair continuing to swirl the brandy he had left in his glass lazily looking over his den of vice. He knew that Sans had walked in through the back which was not uncommon for him even if he talked big he always seemed to try and keep a low profile but that might have been solely for his brother's sake. Either way, he finally acknowledged the newcomers. A raised eyebrow graced his face as his eyes fell on the girl behind the skeleton. It was the human that the Guard had their armor in a bunch about. She did not look all that threatening. He set his glass down with a loud sharp clang before crossing one leg over the other and leaning back once more to survey the two, "Sans…" A drag from his cigar had him parting his flame-like lips to let the smoke linger, "What is the human doing here?" He made no move to say much else until he was owed a proper explanation. The skeleton rarely walked into his den without wanting something from him and this instance, of course, would be no different.

Frisk kept her distance by using Sans as a shield. She did not know of this monster that he was speaking too even though her fears should have been assuaged by the familiarity. The monster conversing with Sans was made entirely out of fire. His body was entirely comprised of a mixture of vibrant violet, magenta, indigo, and black flames that fluidly moved twisting and smoldering. She marveled at how he was able to retain a more human appearance being made entirely of fire. Two pupilless white eyes burned only to be partially hidden by a pair of reflective red and black glasses perched just over what might have been a nose. His mouth had the same look as it morphed depending upon his change in emotion. When they had first approached his smirk looked normal, if you could consider one ounce of this normal, then it changed leaving his mouth akin to a jack o lantern. The white split his face nearly from cheekbone to jaw in a menacing jagged smile. It was a little unnerving but it faded quickly giving him a thoughtful and amused expression.

He leaned a little to his left to get a better look at the human that was now using his skeletal comrade as a barrier. The fire elemental had no intention of causing a scene as he set his glass down leaning forward to inspect the stranger. His curiosity only peaked when Sans forced the human to stand in front of him. The look that was swimming in her eyes was one of afraid apprehension. She was so very young. He returned to his relaxed position as if expecting some kind of unspoken answer, "Oi, Fontaine are you gonna introduce me or you just going to stand there? Didn't take you for much of the type to be involved in politics but as far as I see it… you have the human hiding behind you." His searing white eyes were focused on the poor girl.

Sans just rolled his eye lights, "Look Grillbz ain't tryin ta get inta any politics killin the kid doesn't do anythin. Just lookin fer a place ta stash her. Ya gonna help me er not?" His eyes glanced in Frisk's direction. The way he was talking about her sounded like he had some sort of concern for the human which was not good. Not only from the perspective that it would make him weak but also from the standpoint that she might be used as leverage. He walked up to the elemental and grabbed him by the arm whispering something to him. The whisper had then both suspiciously glancing at Frisk. It was the purple one that had his eyes on her the longest before he stood for them to talk somewhere else. Just before they left all she heard was, "Stay there kid!" That could not be good .

He had pulled Grillby away off to the side away from any eavesdropping. Grillby looked all too amused by the circumstances all things considered, "Sans are you going to explain yourself?" The skeleton had a small smirk on his face as he spoke, "Look Grillbz just askin ya ta watch tha kid. Have her work as one of yer girls or somethin." The way his eyes grew brighter told the him that Sans had a very specific expectation as to how he would be treating this situation. All he could do was chuckle, "So you're telling me that you want me to use the human to pay off your loans Fontaine?" Sans grumbled at the question only rolling his eyelights once more, "Yeah...sure whateva do what ya gotta do. I'll come back an pick em up. Just can't have the Boss findin er."

Grillby, as he had been called multiple times by Sans, had his arms folded across his chest as they spoke. Frisk could not make out a single word of their conversation but judging by the haughty flirty smirk that Sans had plastered to his face she knew this was not going to end well. Instead, she tried to occupy her mind by gently taking a seat in the booth that Grillby had been reclining in before. The fabric was soft and squishy giving her some form of comfort. Her eyes fell over the railing right next to her. No one was here yet but she could only imagine what this place would look like at its busiest. The club already had a neat glow and lighting aesthetic and she was sure that monsters came here to end the day or rather start the night. The music from before had grown on her nearly becoming a background drone. Why did Sans bring her here in the first place? If this was a popular place wasn't that the worst idea? Or was he just messing with her? Either way, it had her nervous. She did not know what to think of this situation or this Grillby character.

When the two returned Frisk seemed to have relaxed a little. The tension that was housed in her body from before had long since passed leaving her open to smiling gently at the two. There was no point in being scared right? That should have been her response considering her series of unfortunate events and track record but he did not seem to engage in any way. They both stood next to the booth nearly towering over her. Sans was just a hair taller than her but Grillby was taller still. She was unsure if all monsters had this kind of stature or that she was just small and short. Regardless she sat with her hands folded gingerly in her lap waiting for one or both of them to speak.

They were both silent for a moment letting the drone of the beat fill the silence as they watched cobalt eyes shift from fire to bone. Sans came to hoist her up from her comfortable seat before placing his hand on the small of her back and pushing her closer to Grillby, "Frisk, meet ya new employer Gillby Magmaran. He's tha one that owns this joint. Gonna be lookin out fer ya fer a bit. Keep ya outa trouble." He raised a brow bone at Grillby who had now held his hand out to shake the humans. He just nudged her lightly to be polite.

Her eyes widened when he mentioned the word employer. She was going to be working now? How in stars was that supposed to work? Did Sans lose his mind from all that teleporting around or something? When a purple and indigo flame like hand was offered to her she was hesitant. Not that she was afraid of Grillby himself but rather what he was comprised of. It had been some time and yet the feeling of being burned alive was still very raw in her mind. He was made out of fire after all.

It took a moment but she finally took his hand. It was warm to the touch and felt no different from a human hand. It even kind of tickled a little bit due to the flames that swirled their way around her palm, "It's nice to meet you Mr. Magmaran." As formal as always. His outward appearance suggested that he was a rather shady character but the look she saw in his eyes as she smiled warmly at him told her another story. As with everyone she had met there was more to this nightclub owner than met the eye. Only time would tell. He seemed pleased by her formality before placing his left fingers into a well-tailored suit pocket.

Sans' mention to have the girl work for him had Grillby wanting to roll his eyes but he would let the skeleton conjure whatever unsavory image he wanted. His thoughts drifted to the girl now sitting in front of them both. She did not look dangerous and that warm smile caused him to dig deep into memories that he once thought buried and dead. He could see her soul blazing in a bright cobalt blue which was curious to him. She had made it past Sans and got on his good side though what side he did not know. He was not one to pry, however, he hardly doubted that she was a threat as everyone had made her out to be. A gentle hand found his own as he shook it like a businessman would. It was how he usually did his business and he was sure Sans had all the say in the matter. It left him feeling something that he had not in a very long time. A feeling of familiarity though faint that pulled at his heartstrings as he looked at her. He only smiled softly back, "It is nice to meet you, Frisk. Now let's discuss these terms eh girly?"

Terms? Oh, stars what did that bonehead just sign her up for?!

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛** **13** **t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

End of Entry...


	23. Behind Bars

Frisk finally meets one of Sans old friends a fire elemental by the name of Grillby Magmaran. He happens to own the swankiest nightclub in town and Sans has a debt to pay. How will this new employment venture work out for her? Will she be able to trust this new club owner or will she end up attempting to flee her new prison?

{DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains NOTHING bad whatsoever just fluff. Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

* * *

 **Welcome to the Underworld**

 **{Log 2: Snowdin**

 **Entry 11: Behind Bars}**

When life hands you lemons you make lemonade. That is a relatively common metaphor for taking the situations that are handed to you in life and making the most out of it. That is unless the lemons are cut and forcefully squeezed into your eyeballs causing a very unpleasant stinging sensation. Sometimes you are blinded for a moment until the pain finally clears and your vision once again returns. In this world we pride ourselves on the very concept of free will but what happens when that basic right is stripped from us? Do we not become somewhat complacent in both our attitude as well as our acceptance? That is how our protagonist feels currently as yet another intimidating monster lopsidedly grins at her from a place of control. Free will is but an illusion. A construct made to justify those actions in which we feel we have control and yet none at all. A simple safety net for the mind in order to assuage one's fears of being grabbed by the strings like a marionette and forced to dance.

The very words, let's discuss these terms, set the poor girl on edge. Just as before the question of what exactly Sans signed her up for weighed heavily on her subconscious as she turned to look over her shoulder at the skeleton. She would have naturally have glared at him but the nerves were eating away at her leaving her glaring with eyebrows furrowed upward in concern. The gaze she gave him only had him lazily looking at her with half-lidded eye sockets as usual. Is that just what his face defaulted to every time he had this inclination to be snarky? She wished he would actually say something and not stand there like a statue. The first impression is everything and as far as first impressions went Grillby was nice enough...

 _*How many times have you said that?_

Her internal voice had been so silent for so long that she nearly jumped from it causing Sans to just shift his weight to his right leg and stare at her with a raised brow. Even Grillby who she had just met quietly judged her from the place beside the booth. These monsters were probably beginning to question her sanity. She was beginning to do so herself as much as she knew she was perfectly mentally stable, for now. As much as she wanted to ignore the internal whisper floating through her mind she could not. She had, in fact, said the exact same phrase upon meeting Sans.

 _*...and look how well that turned out_

Grillby cleared his throat garnering the attention of the seemingly schizophrenic human between the two, "You are still here why...Fontaine? Afraid I am going to take your girl?" That jagged white hot grin cracked his mouth as he looked at Sans with what was akin to a flirty smirk. The comment must have caught the skeleton off guard because his crimson gaze flicked from her face to Grillby's in a matter of milliseconds. They were no longer the bright ruby spheres she was used to but rather almost neon pinpricks of light. All she could equate the sight to was pupil contraction. He almost unconsciously had a hold of her arm stepping in front of her like he was using himself as a kind of barrier. His bony finger was jabbed into the elementals chest harshly as his sockets narrowed. They dilated back to their usual size as a scoff escaped his mouth looking more pissed than usual, "Don't even think about it Grillbz." The gruff reply was followed by a growl before he gingerly placed his hand on Frisk's head, "Be good ya hear me kid. Don't wanna hear bout how ya givin ole Grillbz trouble ya got it short stack?" Says the guy handing her off like some kind of pet. That would be an ill-advised thing to mention however as she already had a suspicion as to how he would react to such a quip.

Frisk nodded her head in apprehensive compliance watching him turn to leave her with a wave of his bony hand. He was wearing the same jacket as always but she could have sworn that within the dim lighting something gold glinted under his hood as he descended the stairwell. She half expected him to teleport as he usually did when he failed to do so and used the stairs like a normal living creature she was confused. He had absolutely no qualms about popping in and out of nowhere like some kind of menacing shark toothed jack in the box. So why not now? Her attention was once again directed to the owner of the establishment she presumed she was now employed to. If one could consider employment a ball and chain to which another individual holds the key. She had to stay confident and hopeful that this would be a positive experience and not like ones prior.

As soon as Sans was out of view she turned her attention to the gentlemanly mannered Grillby not wanting to anger him with the lack of her attention. The teasing smirk he had used to taunt the skeleton with before was now replaced with a warm smile. He gestured for her to take a seat where she had before leaving her entire body tense as she did as he asked. A few moments later and he was once again eyeing her from his own place right across from her. His posture indicated that he was relaxed leaning against the booth with his gaze fixed solely on her. It made her uncomfortable forcing a flinch from her tense form as he picked up his crystalline glass once more before speaking, "So. Sans tells me to look after you. He's not really the type. Find it kind of intriguing. Care to enlighten me?" What was he asking of her? She did not know or care to know what was buzzing around in that skull of his.

Her shoulder came to brush her ears in a noncommittal shrug of indifference, "You would have to ask him that Mr. Magmaran. I just.." What was she going to say? That she wanted to go home? She did not have a home. She was not planning on having one anyway not after everything. Her relentless pursuit to stay neutral had her parting her lips to answer his question as vaguely as she was able, "I just want to help." It was all she could say as a response as nothing else would suffice.

Grillby was curious about the girl he was supposed to be interviewing as routine but he was more interested in her personally. A human should never have fallen from the surface with this much naivety about them. It almost hurt to witness. She must not have been older than her 20's from his experience. In other words, she was but a child not only in monster terms but in human ones as well. He never thought he would let any exception cloud his judgment on humanity.

The tension could be seen in his hands as he clenched his fist causing the series of rings on his fingers to make a soft scraping noise as the metal rubbed together. She heard the sound a few times as he repeated the action. He looked like he had something to say but was remaining silent with very little choice. It could have been a nervous action but his eyes on her were searing as if he was trying to understand her or he was internalizing something. That was the only tell, however, as the rest of his posture was more relaxed including the glass that was just barely held between his blazing fingers. He had an eyebrow raised as he twirled it slowly causing the amber colored contents to splash against the cubes of ice. The sudden break of silence startled her, "You wish to help us? I find that rather refreshing. Ya also don't need to call me Mr. kid the names Grillby" His voice lowered to a whisper to mention something that she was unable to make out clearly.

Frisk's eyes were on his fingers before they rolled up to meet his gaze feeling her nervous energy waning, "Yes, M-...Grillby." She wanted to make a good impression on him knowing that her being human would cause him to feel a set way about her. It was obviously an assumption on her part but experiences trumped her usual undoubting nature, "I have no pretenses about how you may feel about me but...I promise I am different. Everyone…" She lowered her head eyes staring morosely at her folded fingers, "Everyone here thinks I mean harm. That I am just another human that needs to be killed. I understand. I have heard the stories. I know what…I am. I know that I don't belong here or really there. I want to make a difference and I." Her hand came to rest upon her chest. She was so emotional all of a sudden just letting her feelings out to the complete stranger in front of her. Had she finally gotten to that point?

Grillby sat mulling over his options on what to actually do. He could personally rat her out effectively shoving her on a one-way ticket to the Capitol but he couldn't bring himself to do such a thing. He decided that humoring Sans was his best option. She spoke with such hope and genuine conviction. Only when she started to falter in her speech did he lean forward and set his glass down. The only words that floated in his mind were just a child. A lost child that had nowhere to go and was bearing the weight of an entire world on her fragile shoulders. She would be about this age now smiling at him and dragging him along with her.

He removed his glasses setting them down on the table watching their reflective lenses bounce back the purple lighting overhead for a moment. His eyes fell closed as he moved to stand walking around to where she was sitting. It was so unlike him as he placed a gentle hand upon her shoulder in comfort. His normal inclination to leave this strange human to suffer was erased by his pity for her, "Kid I believe you. You have this presence around you that is nearly blinding. Not half surprised Fontaine took a liking to you. It is not like him to go out of his way for anyone." The side of the booth she was sitting in had an armrest which he used as a seat placing his elbow on the back of the silver fabric to keep himself balanced. This felt more casual to him than the former.

His mention of Sans taking a liking to her had her shivering involuntarily in a form of disgust, "I am glad someone believes in me." She tilted her head up to see him now sitting right next to her unlike a certain someone this action did not give her a feeling of discomfort. She half expected him to be similar to Sans especially after seeing what his establishment looked like but she was horribly wrong. Grillby was kind, gentlemanly, and almost soothing to be around even the drone of the music in the background had nearly faded away. He had genuine concern and perhaps pity for the poor girl forced into this situation by no doing of her own.

The reaction he got from her was not unexpected as he smiled and rolled his wrist with a small flourish, "So darlin I am supposed to be giving you a job here. I am sure Sans has his own ideas about what he wants you to do but I am not going to humor him. You are sweet enough I'm sure you will do just fine you're also safe here on account of my rules." He could tell that she was still a little nervous, "Ever worked in a place before?" That was a dumb question but even though the answer was obvious he wanted to continue the conversation.

Frisk was mesmerized by the way the flames twisted and turned naturally. It was true that she was technically an adult by human standards but she had never worked before and she was not going to explain her life story to Grillby. She had opened up to him more than most but she was not inclined to be that careless with her own weaknesses. If there was anything that she was being taught due to the hostile nature of this world it was that you could still be kind but also guarded. Just because you were cautious did not mean that you were being unkind just wary. It was a lesson she learned after it was nearly stubbornly beat into her skull, literally, "No sir but I am a fast learner and I always work very hard!" Her enthusiasm was a nice change from her usual task of forcing a smile. On account of his rules? That was promising at least. That would also explain why Sans brought her here in the first place. It was almost a neutral ground of sorts.

The two exchanged pleasantries for a while talking about the job that he was preparing to have her learn and a little more about the Underworld. It turned out that there were factions among the monsters and unfortunate citizens caught in the crossfire. The king was present but only in commanding authority nothing of real action. He wove a latticework of underground hitmen and powerful figureheads. It was a lot to process and she was sure that she would sort through all the information later at a more opportune time. She was grateful that he had taken the time to explain his world a little more. She would have never received that same courtesy from Sans and she would not have wanted to burden sweet Mae with such a slew of Intel. His deep chuckle cut easily through one of their more light-hearted conversations, "You seem to be a tough one there kiddo color me impressed. Now let's get started with what you will be wearing." He removed himself from the booths armrest and gingerly picked up his glasses from the table to set them back on his face. It baffled her as to how those glasses stayed on his face in the first place. All she could assume was that it was magic based.

A gentle nod and soft smile is what she gave him as she too stood from her place in the booth. Her bones made an unsettling popping noise as the vertebra no longer had pressure placed upon them. A couple of well-placed stretches had her ready to follow her new boss. Her fears of this turning out poorly had nearly vanished leaving her excited to be able to be away from Sans and be productive for once. You can go a little stir crazy being trapped in a room for too long. It was a feeling that she had grown up with and did not want to experience for the second time. At least her imprisonment was not one location-centric. This job might actually be good for her as she was told she would be paid in gold. It was the currency in the Underworld and though Toriel had given her some and there was some in her satchel she had a feeling that more funds were better than no funds. Either way, she happily followed Grillby past the secondary upstairs bar toward another hallway.

There was very little different from the corridor that she had entered the establishment from except for the lighting. She noticed that the majority of the color choices within the club were similar to Grillby with all the purples and blues, but these were sunset reds and soft oranges. It would have naturally made the atmosphere of the stretch of hallway to feel more ominous but it did the opposite. The soft mix of sunset like colors made the space warmer and more inviting only for her to stop at a set of elevator doors. Ones in which had a similar tribal like flame sculpted into the metal.

It was not a typical metal door but rather an old-fashioned lift. The cage that surrounded it was a piece of artwork itself. It would have been something one would have found back in the 1920's with a distinct art deco feel to it. The metal was woven in and out of itself only to have pieces of gold here and there to add a little bit of luxury. The two recesses within the metalwork held twisting metal homes for two flames that flickered and changed color occasionally. The more she witnessed the architecture the monsters lived in the more she was saddened that such amazing talent was going to waste. She was sure on the surface a whole bunch of monsters would even have their own stores and establishments showing humankind the true beauty they could imagine and construct. Her boss gestured her inside the lift as the metalwork separated creating an entryway.

The trip was short-lived but Frisk had her mind swirling with hopes for her their future. She could only imagine the kind of society that the coexisting worlds would have. Would it be technologically advanced? Would things work off magic? Would humans be taught to use it too? All these questions and yet no answers. She supposed that was how life was anyway. You could devote your entire being to answering questions but only more would surface. The truly neverending unknown of existence. When the lift came to a stop and the door opened she found herself in a penthouse. She assumed it was Grillby's judging by some similar decor choices.

It was clear that Grillby had a more modern aesthetic to his living space than he did with the bright neons and wallpapers downstairs. The decor was modern but simplistic. As she stepped out her eyes were met with a very similar granite like flooring that she was familiar with. A deep onyx black with flecks of gold that shimmered as one walked. She half expected to find a giant G or M monogrammed in the flooring but there was nothing like that. A curved black and gunmetal upholstered couch rested against the wall and in front of it was a simple glass table. Her head turned to the right to spy a room surrounded by glass panels on all sides. There was the monogram she was looking for in the frosted glass was a calligraphy styled G and M. So fancy. It was a room with glass shelves very similar to that of a private bar. It mirrored the one she had seen on the second floor with the same multi-colored bottles. She assumed he kept all the good stuff up here for himself.

Immediately adjacent to the room was a glass spiral staircase which was currently reflecting a fireplace on the opposite end. The lighting was a soft warm light rather than a bright white. It brought her back to the lighting she remembered in Toriel's home. How long had that been already? It was difficult to place one's finger on time that seemed to fluctuate skipping backward unceremoniously. The room beyond the foyer was an entertainment room and a few extras side rooms. Her assumptions were confirmed when he led her up the steps to what was presumably his own room where he slid open a closet with different types of clothing and luxurious suits. Well, she could definitely give him points on refinement and style.

Grillby watched her examine her new surroundings a little while before leading her upstairs. None of the standard employee attire would fit her small frame or be appropriate for the job he was going to have her learn. He would pull out some clothing handing them to her and having her use the bathroom next door to change but when she always came out nothing was right. She tended to agree with a soft almost fearful shrug. This went on for a short period of time before his hand landed on a garment bag to the very back of the closet. It was a little dusty as he pulled it from its place staring at the old cover with his back turned to the human whose head was tilted in curiosity when he hooked the hanger facing outward.

He hooked his finger through the hole on the zipper pull and pulled the garment out staring at it for a moment before turning to hold it out to her. His actions were gentle with this one rather than the others which begged to question what made him act in such a way. Frisk smiled as she always did and took the garments handling them as gingerly as he had done before stepping into the bathroom once more. The door fell closed with a soft click leaving her to try on presumably her new uniform. It was not like the other things that she had tried on as this felt much more feminine and closer to her body type. She did notice the monogram F in a beautiful metallic green thread on the breast pocket only blinking in confusion as to how a garment would have the first letter of her name on it already. Magic? No even magic could not predict the future.

The door finally opened with another soft click as she stepped out for her little fashion show. The outfit was simple, classy, and most of all form fitting and cute. She looked like she belonged as a real employee but it still was very much her own style. It was a crisp white blouse that she was able to roll the sleeves up and button them to hold them up. The collar was similar to a regular button up and light ruching and lace ran down the center of the shirt. She had a couple more buttons undone than she liked but it wasn't too low cut. Over the top was a thinly cut vest made out of a suiting material very much like the one Grillby was wearing currently. It was black with simple white pinstriping held together with a couple of buttons. On her left side was a breast pocket with the F embroidery and a little matching pocket square in a lustrous green fabric. It fit her body perfectly hugging the curves she usually tried to hide. The blouse extended below the vest and over a pair of simple black leggings. She was a little nervous having never worn something so nice before, "I...I like this one. If...if that's alright?" Her hands were nervously playing with each other as she awaited his reaction. He was her new boss after all.

Grillby froze in place as she stepped from the door. She still had a pair of black socks on having taken off her boots as a courtesy. He could sense her nervous energy but looking at her in that outfit had his eyes widening for but a second. A hand rested on her cheek as those big blue soul filled eyes blinked up at him in confusion before he once again had his hand at his side. He needed a drink, leaving the befuddled human standing there as he moved to pour himself a glass. He always had everything stocked with ice, liquor, and glasses being an alcoholic was an understatement but it did little to him anyway. In essence, he just burned it off as cliche as it sounded. His back was to her as he knocked the entire glass back before setting it on the silver tray in front of him, "It… looks perfect on you Frisk." There was a soft sigh slipped between those words. It had been a long time since he had even given a damn about anything. He had his own reputation, of course.

Frisk ended up just blinking like a confused kitten as Grillby's reaction was one that she would never have expected. He first had a look of surprise pass his face before he quickly moved to down a glass of some kind of alcohol. Even the tone of his voice was soft and forlorn as he spoke even with words of praise. As with many of the monsters here she felt as though he was hiding something and seeing her had triggered that emotion somehow. She wanted to understand but she knew that was not her place. These monsters could hurt her, kill her, or worse but they would never break her spirit. The kindness she showed others was just who she was even if it was not always the smartest course of action at times, "Mr...Grillby sir?" Her voice was in a soft coo as if she did not desire to be heard, "I can try something else." She watched him remove his glasses letting them fall onto the glass table which held the silver tray he was standing in front of only to raise his hand and pinch the bridge of his nose with shut eyes. Even with them closed she could still make out his facial features fire or not.

There was nothing to prepare him for the flood of memories he wanted to push away causing him to pinch at his nose in an attempt to alleviate the tension. If it ever worked. The pain that he felt was something that could never be buried by violence, by vice, or drink. He only ever pretended that was the case. Her soft voice brought him back slowly opening his eyes to look at her. All he did was shake his head slowly moving toward the edge of the bed to sit upon it. He did not look at her but she knew he was speaking to her, "No darlin it's not you. It looks good on you. I think we found your new uniform. That was… an outfit I had specially made a long time ago. A time when we all thought we were on top of the world. We thought that by having the battle far away from any kind of civilization that they would be safe but every war has its casualties. Now why don't you grab that pair of heels sitting there"

He spoke matter of factly but she could almost hear that small spark of pain that burned within him. Each word was just another cinder block on his own heart and it was being crushed, she could feel it, "You don't need to explain if you don't want to. I…" Her eyes shifted to the side, "I don't like talking about my past either." She looked up at him and rested a dainty pale hand upon the shoulder of his suit jacket, "But I am also here to talk if you want to." It was all she could do be a shoulder to those she knew were suffering. Her pains were deeper than most and the only real reason why she held it together was that she felt she was doing some good in this messed up world.

A soft sigh escaped him as he placed his hand over her own. It was warm and comforting. She took it as a sign to let him speak and to remove her hand. He stood fixing his suit snatching this glasses off the table. She heard his voice grow a little fainter as he made his way down the spiral steps, "Come on kiddo you have a lot to learn before opening hours." A dodge of the subject. It was not surprising Frisk was a perfect stranger after all as she quickly pulled on the black heels with silver straps and followed him back down the steps and toward the old-fashioned cages lift. Something inside her was excited about what she was about to learn as they made it to the area that they first had their meeting. Her small conversation with Grillby, however, left her feeling concerned for the fire elemental even if he hid it well. Whoevers outfit she was wearing right now was deeply important to him. She almost felt guilty for wearing it. Not to mention she was not used to the new footwear.

Grillby mentioned that she was going to be a hybrid employee of sorts. One that could do a few jobs at one time or at the very least she would be expected to be trained on them. Her first job was to serve the guests. She was basically a waitress for the small bar food menu that Grillby had on each and every table. Easy enough. They went over proper waitress etiquette and how she should handle taking orders with a smile. He joked that she really did not have to be trained on being nice like some of the other employee's. Lesson number one, how to serve a guest. It took a few tries but it came naturally to her after getting over her rather shy disposition. She even felt a fiery hand on top of her head at times to try and ease her into the small assessment he gave her in which she passed with flying colors. He commented on how she was able to connect and be personable which was a trait that he rarely saw in his line of work.

Lesson number two, how to be a waitress. The first half of the lesson was more about how to handle things on the floor and customer service. The second half was learning how to place orders in the system to be made and how to interact with kitchen staff. As of right now, no one had yet to arrive so Grillby stood in for them teaching her certain terms and showing her the ropes. It was unusually nice of him to do so. The second half of the lesson came easier than the first. She did not really have to talk too much she just had to make sure that her orders were correct. She learned about substitutions and what happened when an order was incorrect. After the assessment she found herself wondering if Grillby would have been like a famous manager on T.V. trying to help out failing business and restaurants. It sure fit his personality.

Lesson number three was the most difficult of the training. She was an adult by human standards but never did she once drink any type of alcoholic beverage. It was her time to get a lesson in mixology or to most bartending. He said he liked the former title better since it sounded more professional. The bottles were all organized according to type which made it a little easier to pull for various recipes. Everything was so organized and spotless that though intimidating in its content it felt a little simpler just with that in mind. They had moved to the ground level in order for her get the full experience. The bar was high tech too, something she did not see much in the Underworld but she supposed Grillby had connections. It was a touchscreen embedded in the counter behind the bar and used as a recipe and order book of sorts. This way if the bar needed food then she did not have to always run back to the kitchen to place it. It was a really neat feature in her eyes. The recipes were all labeled by drink name as well as a list of popular items. All and all mixing the drinks was not difficult though she did have to learn some extra terms.

She cleaned up the countertop after her little assessment without his prompting before he showed her one of the most important things she would learn today. How to handle transactions. It was pretty simple as the machine that he was used did most of the work but it was not like the paper money she was used to. It was all in gold of different types. There were just pieces of gold that you might find a miner panning for but there were also gold shaped into coins with the delta rune embossed on their metallic surface. There were bars of gold that were more to the back as well. It was strange that each type had a different numerical value. She honestly thought that the only gold they were using was the raw type like Toriel had given her. This was clearly not the case. The raw was the least amount adding up 1 to 1 while coins were 10 G a piece and the bars 50. A thought came to her that maybe the idea of dragons hoarding gold came from a monster story of some sort. That was it. She had completed her training as she cleaned up the area she would be working not realizing her boss' sudden absence.

She eventually found him resting his upper body on one of the second story landing railings overlooking the entire club pulling out a cigar from his suit pocket and lighting it with the tip of his thumb. Her stride brought her right next to him as she blinked and leaned over the railing a little bit to get a better look only for her eyes to widen. There were monsters down there now...dog monsters. The fear of being torn to shreds had her taking a shaky step back in which Grillby looked at her taking a hold of her shoulder gently, "Hey hey… Frisk it's alright they won't do anything. Promise. It's against the rules here." The natural warmth of his hands calmed her giving her the opportunity to pause, "I...you want me to serve them?" He nodded rubbing the junction between her neck and shoulder with a light thumb, "Like I said they wouldn't think about harming you darlin not while I am here. Trust me ."

Every bit of her wanted to lock up or run but something had her closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She trusted Grillby and she prayed to whoever was listening that was not a mistake. Her eyes snapped open with a look on her face filled with a newfound excitement as she made her way down the steps. The music was back just a little louder than before leaving her with a beat that would be stuck in her head for the rest of the evening. The outer part of the first floor was where the majority of monsters took seats and just as she was about to head over to a couple that had just walked in she heard a familiar voice calling to her, "Oi! Pup what are ya doing here mate?"

She would recognize that voice and Australian accent anywhere as she turned on her heel to meet face to face with a familiar friend. He was sitting at a small table with the little candle dancing in an array of colors that reflected off his armor. It was Doggo. The canine sentry had his tail slowly swaying back and forth as she approached and a big dog like grin, "Thought you might be halfway ta the Capitol by now pup what's the holdup?" His almost eerily glowing eye was trained on her but not in an intimidating way as he waited for a response, "Oh… well. I thought maybe I would slow down and enjoy some things first and Mr. Grillby is really nice so I…"

Doggo nearly dropped the dog biscuit from his mouth as he stared at her ears pinned back thank goodness it was not on fire like usual, "Lass are you sayin that you're under Magmaran's debt?" He looked distressed with his once wagging tail nearly tucked around the seat he was sitting on, "Pup that's the worst monster you could ever owe round here except for Muffet. What were you thinking?" Frisk was confused by the abrupt negative reaction that Doggo had to Grillby, "He has been nothing but kind to me Doggo." He had his claws lightly digging into the table leaning over to whisper in her ear, "Pup Magmarans just one part of the crime syndicate round these parts. He deals with all the vice while the other two deal in other things." He pulled back shaking his head causing the chain attached to his choke collar to sway back and forth, "I shouldn't be telling you this." The former canine sentry let out a small whimper.

Her hand came to rest on top of his soft fur stroking it to calm his nerves, "Thank you for the warning Doggo but I will be alright. It is good to see you again." Eventually, his body relaxed leaving her to smile and pull her hand away, "Is there anything you want Doggo? I do work here now after all." Doggo looked at her for a moment, "One tough pooch ain't ya Frisk?" Her smile brightened with a nod, "Sure am! So what can I get you?" He thought about it for a moment only placing an order of french fries and a drink he called the Boneyard, "Right away!" A gentle pat on the head and she off-putting in the order.

Grillby was right even though she was a human the rest of the monsters did not seem to mind. In fact, it was rather the opposite. They asked her about where she was from, the surface, and how she came to find herself here in the first place. She was able to meet some monsters she never had before though most of them seemed animal in appearances like horses, a bird, and a bat. It was amazing how the monsters were all so different and unique. Not one even if they were the same type looked the same. They all seemed to enjoy her style of service as some of them called her by name raising their drinks for refills and conversation. The whole experience was putting a smile on her face.

Later in the night was when the club really started to bustle and she finally understood the vice comment from Doggo earlier. It was clear that it had unsavory things about it but it did not really bother her. It was a club and she noticed that more monsters were there to socialize more than anything, dancers aside. After a while, she had really gotten the hang of it even the drinks which she admittedly had been the most nervous about. It was actually fun for her being able to be useful and helpful in the process though she had not seen hide nor hair of her boss since earlier.

 _*Are you actually enjoying this?_

Frisk replied internally with a nonverbal yes in which she set down another drink for Doggo who was making jokes about Sans and Papyrus and having a good time with a bird looking monster. The revelry was short lived when a sudden crash from the front of the club drew everyone's attention. The giant metal double doors that led into the establishment were swung wide open as a dog in full metal obsidian and crimson armor made his way inside. The Royal Guard. Her first reaction was panic as she attempted to hide behind the little silver server tray she had been using the entire night. There was only one which was strange they usually were seen in packs. She had to trust that Grillby was not lying to her and that she would be safe even with her blood pumping so loudly in her ears it was almost deafening.

The dog walked right up to her only to remove it's helmet staring down at her with the most vibrant set of green eyes she had ever seen. They nearly glowed amongst its white fur. The guard neither said anything or moved to do anything and just watched her. Monsters from the other corners of the club were waiting with baited breath especially Doggo who looked like he was going to pull the dagger from his belt with a menacing growl. The more those piercing emerald eyes stared into hers the more she felt the tension leave her slowly pulling the tray from her face. Only when she saw his ears twitch did he move rushing to the open doors and out into the snow.

 _*That was...weird..._

Doggo looked just as confused as everyone else in the bar when the doors fell closed and howling could be heard behind them, "You're lucky pup no one may be able to fight in here but that doesn't mean they couldn't have dragged ya out of here." Oh good a loophole... perfect. After a few moments, everything went on as if the scene never happened including Doggo who was sipping his drink with a bone shaped dog treat sticking out of it looking around as suspiciously as possible. She found herself thinking about those green eyes. They were so out of place that the feature was the only thing she had focused on. A soft sigh and a quick break and she was finished with her shift.

The night had moved by smoothly after the strange Guard dog encounter and everyone thanked her for her work and her attitude. It was strange for all the talk of wanting her head they sure did not act like it. Her smile began to widen unknowingly causing her face to light up like a Christmas tree. This journey and these monsters were not lost causes not at all. It filled her with something that almost felt unnatural, magical. A feeling she was not able to place. The more she had these positive encounters the more the feeling grew and began to spread leaving her humming away happily as she cleaned off her stations.

She turned her back to clean some glasses at the bar not realizing that someone was sitting in the section. The voice caused her to jolt upright and nearly drop the glass she was cleaning. Thank goodness Grillby answered for her. Where had he been this entire time? She wasn't going to question it too much. She knew another side to this place. She wasn't stupid not by a long shot, "Looks like you made your way back Sans...as usual." Oh, she knew that it was Sans at the counter but that was one of the many reasons she still had her back turned to him. She hastily began to dry the last glass making sure to look productive and not eavesdropping in the slightest. It wasn't hard to do considering, similar to his brother, Sans rather outgoing personality had him talking a few decibels higher than was needed, "Heya so uh Grillbz how that human workin out for ya. Got her doin something extra special ." She could almost see him waggling his eyebrow bones as he spoke in that usual flirtatious way. Did this guy ever have an off switch?

Grillby shot him a look when he mentioned having Frisk working one of his more unsavory jobs but he kept his voice very calm, very even, and very low, "She is doing a splendid job. I am almost sad she wasn't here sooner. Everyone loved her and I certainly know why." The look he had on his face was one of pride as he smiled only confusing Sans all the more, "So uh...where's tha doll at?" His eye lights were scanning the various floors and all the unsavory stages, of course. It was Grillby who grabbed his skull forcefully turning it back to his immediate vicinity, "Darlin good work today super proud of you. Being kind of quiet don't you think?" She set the glass down that she was just drying repeatedly and turned to face them.

Sans looked bewildered with his eye lights wavering flicking from her to Grillby before narrowing into slits. They diffused after a while leaving him with his usual eyes looking away and resting his cheek on his hand in a pout. She could just make out the words, "No fun" as he muttered under his breath with a mild growl of irritation. Her fiery boss, however, was smirking triumphantly as if silently mocking him by saying wasn't what you were expecting were you? She completely ignored Sans knowing that she would not have such a luxury forever and smiled brightly, "Thank you. I really enjoyed today. Everyone was so friendly and fun. I feel like it is somewhere I belong and no one judges me here." Her heart truly was skipping a few beats at her newfound joy. When life gives you lemons you grab them and make the most delicious lemonade you possibly can!

Her face was beaming as Sans turned to look back at her. Those pale cheeks were dusted a powder rose with a curtain of auburn hair that bounced with her own excited energy. He had never seen her so happy before but maybe that was because the only emotion he ever pulled out of her was fear or sadness or the ever rare anger that she housed deep in that blue soul of hers. The praises from Grillby almost had her glowing adding another light source to the already neon filled room. That light faded when he rose from his seat to get their attention. Her smile faded and her once relaxed aura shifted dramatically, "So kitten ready ta head out? Can't keep ole' Grillby up all night ya know." He watched her nod not saying a word walking around to the opposite side of the bar ready to go. She wasn't looking at him not even to speak, "Yeah. I am a little tired." One last wave to Grillby before she pushed open the door to exit into the crisp air of Snowdin. It was almost becoming a normal feeling for her. The cold was beginning to have little effect as it once did.

They walked a little way in silence sure she could have asked Grillby to stay at his place but she knew Sans would object. She hated the idea of being stuck in that horrible room but she knew her compliance would eventually pay off. If not she could just annoy him to death _or...uh...second death?_ She had no idea right now she just kept her head down with the sound of snow crunching in her ears. How far away was Grillby's from the house? She prayed not short enough only to hear the jingling of a chain link. Her head was down but out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Sans was mirroring her body language only he had his boney fingers fiddling with the golden chain link that connected to his spiked leather collar.

He silently followed her occasionally flicking his red slit-like eye lights her direction out of the corner of his sockets. The shape only took form if he was nervous or anxious causing him to play absentmindedly with his collar, "So uh. Ya enjoy work?" There was no reply so he slipped his hands into his pockets, "I guess ole' Grillby showed ya tha ropes huh? He is no easy boss ya know." As before there was no reply. The silence had him scratching the back of his head, "Ya looked really happy en excited back there was almost worried Grillbz spiked ya drink or somethin. No one likes working ya know?" He let out a small chuckle then...silence. He let his hand fall once more.

She could not believe him! He was trying to make small talk with her? He sure had the audacity to act like nothing was wrong. Oh YEAH sure. No. Her fingers balled themselves up after she was subjected to his casual questioning, "Stop it." Oh, how she wanted to slug him in that stupid menacing face of his. There was only one problem. His reaction was nothing like he had before as when she looked up he looked surprised with those ruby eyes wavering as she spoke, "What you aren't going to get mad? Lock me in a room? Tell me how horrible I am? That I should give up? That I should die? That all I am is a stupid human?" She could feel her fingernails digging dangerously into the skin of her palms. It made her snap, all of it. She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

Sans was shocked. There were no other words to describe it as she exploded at him and much to his own surprise he did not mirror her anger. In fact, he just blinked his sockets a few times and put his hands up defensively. At this point, he knew he deserved all the backlash and no amount of explanation would alleviate the pain he had inflicted on her. He should not have cared but the longer he was near her the more he felt that unwelcome feeling of guilt twist his nonexistent gut. Rightfully so. She was glaring at him panting lightly from her exertion of strongly held emotion as he shook his head, "Never said any of that…" The look that passed over her face had him relaxing his posture. She appeared to be coming down from her volcanic outburst.

She eventually could feel the flames of her anger subsiding before she looked up at him. He wasn't angry or upset. He just stood there blinking slowly not saying a word. Her anger had subsided but she nearly wanted to scream at him to say something. When silence enveloped the two she sighed and continued walking only to hear him follow. One moment she felt so happy and the next she felt defeated and it was his fault. She hoped he knew that too as they walked along all she heard was a reiteration of his previous statement, "Never said any of that." What was he trying to do convince himself? All she did was huff followed by another long sigh, "I am tired. I want to rest."

He said one more thing before the pair found themselves standing in front of the skeletons home and unlike times prior he held out his hand to her flexing those bony digits. She knew the only way up to the room was by utilizing his power like some kind of glorified magical elevator so she took his hand only to find herself standing in his room. All that adrenaline from before when she told him off was fading away leaving her to sit on the edge of the bed. She just came to the conclusion that she had nothing to wear for the evening. That's when she felt something thrown at her lap only to hear a soft goodnight and then he was gone. Wait WHAT!?

Everything just collapsed. He was just going to let her sleep up here by herself? Not to mention that the object in question that he had thrown at her was a pair of warm flannel pajamas. They were completely black with little Froggits on them. One, where did he get something so adorable. Two, why even bother giving it to her? Three, what was going on. She was terribly confused but also exhausted after the long work day. Her hands made quick work of the uniform gently folding it and laying it down on the desk on the opposite side of the room. She slipped the new and still confusing pajamas on and curled up under the covers. It took about twenty minutes before she realized he was not coming back. She expected to find his arms around her waist and fingers in her hair but he was nowhere to be found that sense of security caused her eyelids to fall under the weight of sleep slipping into a deep awaiting dreamland without worry.

O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛ 13 t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨

End of Entry...


	24. Ice and Fire

Summary: Frisk doesn't want to believe it but something is different. The delicious smell of baked goods and hearty breakfast fills her senses when she comes to the next morning. She enjoys her new job at Grillbys and hopes that she is able to continue to attend. Is there actually a chance that she is somewhere she belongs? A place she can call home or is it just a fool's errand? What if things really are different?

{DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains NOTHING bad whatsoever just fluff. Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

* * *

 **Welcome to the Underworld**

 _{Log 2: Snowdin_

 _Entry 12: Ice and Fire}_

The dreamscape of one's mind is an odd space ever constant and always changing. It reflects what we hold dear, out hopes, our aspirations, and deeply held desires made manifest within the utopia of the mind. It is a freedom and yet a prison depending upon the emotions of one's most inner subconscious. It is a beast upon which has no leash but now. Now is the time of peace even the anxiety begins to drift away slowly. A blank canvas able to be painted with the beauty of what one longs for and right now that scene is simple. A calming peace in which she now rests. A blue sky, a sea of gold spread from end to end amongst pops of green, blue, and purple. The clouds spun into soft fluffy pillows that lazily drifted across the backdrop of azure. It was a soft and euphoric paradise.

She had dreams of their acceptance, nightmares of their rage, and thoughts about the final stretch of her journey. None of that was here as she turned her face upwards to greet the light that radiated from above. It fell on her skin warming the flesh in its soft golden glow. That light was nothing compared to the field surrounding her. The same golden flowers that once covered her fall in The Ruins were so vibrant that it caused the entire field to wash over in a metallic luster. Why was this place filled with these flowers? They continued to appear more and more in her dreams just hints at first but now an amber field. That once peaceful calm shifted leaving her longing to see a pair of green within those yellow depths.

The dress she wore flowed gently in the light breeze a soft pleated and white chiffon that brushed against her skin. This place felt like a heaven and yet so hollow. Its beauty could not be matched but its isolation was it's undoing. Her place was here. Alone and away from it all. No more skeletons no more resets. Just peace. She placed her hands on her forearms feeling the warmth of her sun-kissed skin. How could it feel so warm and yet so cold? Her blue eyes gazed out into the open expanse before she called out, "Is anyone there?" Yet, no response. Now she lowered her head shielding her face with auburn waves. No, this was not right. This place was false. It was more than her dreams prior but it was, in fact, a desolate space made to look like a paradise. There was nothing here. A lonely empty shell and nothing more. A prison made by the making of someone other than her. A deeply rooted pain covered by waves of faux gold.

Her eyes fluttered open only to end up with her face buried in the soft fabric of a pillow. At some point during the night, she must have grabbed a hold of it and clutched it close to her as some form of unconscious comfort. That desire to seek comfort and receive it was starting to eat at her subconscious actions, _fantastic_. Maybe she was really messed up in the head. No, Grillby did not seem to think so, or Doggo, or Mae. The worst place to be was stuck in one's own mind so she shook her thoughts from that space burying her head deeper letting out a small whimper. Her vision was obstructed by deep brownish red bangs that were tossed to and fro. She looked like she had rubbed her head on a balloon clearly not work appropriate.

She flopped on top of the pillow with her chin resting on the soft fluff closing her eyes for a minute trying to piece together the strange dream she had been housed within. That feeling that made her soul quiver as her surroundings displayed the opposite. Her fingers threaded through her hair causing it to be slicked back opening her mouth letting out a soft almost kitten like mewl. She even stuck her tongue out still sleepy and groggy from her awakening. It was better than being jolted awake by nightmares that was for sure. Her level of comfort was heightened by the soft flannel pajamas that had been gifted to her last night. It was so strange but she dare not ask. She could only imagine how the conversation would even progress.

Her inky lashes parted revealing those gemstone vibrant eyes that were so soul filled even amongst the darkness that threatened to consume that bright light. At first, she closed her eyes once more taking a glance at the pair of socks that fell into her line of sight only for them to snap open in realization. She lifted her chin to meet his eyes as he just stood there with a mug in his bony grip. It was a ceramic black that read "Bad to the Bone" in white lettering. He looked as though he had just woken up judging by the fact he was in a white t-shirt and a pair of his black shorts. She was unsure how to process the sight but he looked more tired than usual with the red rim of his eye sockets deeper in shade. It was probably just his eyes reflecting off the white surface but something was off about him that she was having difficulty placing.

Sans had left the human last night to let them sleep soundly on their own. He had his own bed after all not that he was at all pleased with the state he continuously left it. That night had been a long one causing him to toss and turn more than usual. This time, however, it was not the fear of being stuck on a hamster wheel that pulled him from a good night's rest. No, it was something far worse and far more unexpected. It tore him from his dreams and had him staring blankly at the ceiling before groaning. He had no idea what time it was all things considered. In his room upstairs he at least kept an alarm clock but in this case, he had left the space in such a disarray that he wasn't able to find anything. He just stared at the corner of the moving box that made up his nightstand.

Well, he was not getting back to sleep anytime soon as he threw the covers off his bed letting them fall to the floor in a pile. The skeleton swung his boney legs over the side only to rest his elbows on them and threaded his fingers together using them as a resting place for his mandible. His expression was that of annoyance but it softened as a sigh slipped past that jagged maw. He was not one to dwell on things too much considering it could just jump back and be rewritten. The silence in the room felt stagnant when he rose from his place on the bed toward the door. He would do his usual morning routine and actually figure out what time it was. The lighting never helped regardless of its artificial make.

That was how they told time in the Underground society. Their main power source emitted its own artificial light making it like a sun to those that remembered what a sun was. Eventually, it would die down leaving the society in the throes of darkness in which the crystals embedded above the cave walls would sparkle and shimmer like little fake stars. It was the closest thing that they had to tell time like the humans did. It was the closest thing they had to feeling normal after so much time had slipped from their grasp. There was no use dwelling on something that was never going to change and yet there was this feeling deep within his soul that maybe he would feel a true warmth rather than an artificial one. The thought had him forcefully shaking his skull before he made his way downstairs into the kitchen.

Step one for a typical Sans morning routine was to make sure the kitchen was spotless. It was not like his brother forced the task on him but he wanted to keep his brother's happy place clean and free of worry. Step two, make sure to start brewing something that would give him a little more energy like the coffee grounds he was now pouring into the machine almost robotically. Step three, check all the video cameras and footage in his room. A step that he skipped over considering he felt that the human was still asleep. Last but not least step four make some breakfast and clean up before his brother made his way down the steps.

His fingers latched onto the ceramic novelty mug as he placed the lip of it to his mouth taking a sip. The steam was tickling his nasal ridge as he set it down with a soft clatter only to begin to make something substantial to eat for both himself and Frisk. It was not something he had to do but she would complain about that human stomach of hers he was sure of it. Not that he cared. Her well being was not exactly his problem, keeping her alive was and those were two totally different things, _right?_ His continual denial had him almost starting to believe it. He could try and lie to himself about all the pros of keeping the human alive boiling her down to a mere objective rather than an individual but the truth was that he wanted to see her smile. He wanted to enjoy more breakfasts with her and maybe open up more. What he wanted however and what he was accustomed to were two completely different ideologies. He took another sip and grabbed the plate of food. He wondered if she would enjoy pancakes like these but unsure so he made an array of breakfast foods. She was going to have to share with him since the extra dishes would cause Boss to be suspicious.

He shuffled his way back up the steps slightly bent over his cup of coffee, _what a rough morning_. The monster rubbed his skull before returning to his room only to teleport his way back up to where she would be resting. He gave her space after last night. That was something she wanted, right? His presence was not even noticed by her as she nuzzled one of his pillows making small whimpering noises like a sleepy baby animal. Her eyes opened to barely register his presence before deep blue orbs stared up at him. At his point, all he had in his hand was his coffee mug since he placed the plate and silverware on the bedside table, "Looks like ya slept well ey there kitten? Looks like I gave ya tha right nickname on account a ya makin all those noises." His eyes fell on the set of pajamas he had left her last night. Even he could not contain the thought that she looked cute with a messy bedhead and black flannel pajamas with little white froggits printed on the fabric. He was satisfied with his decision.

Her eyes shifted to the plate of food that now sat on the bedside table closest to her. The plate was piled high with succulent bacon, fluffy pancakes, and cheese topped eggs. It was truly a breakfast that was created to make one's mouth salivate. They both looked at each other yet never uttered a single syllable as he took a place on the floor. She hesitated to say that he seemed different from those times prior but letting her guard down now was the worst decision she could possibly make. He sat there expectantly looking at her with that horrible novelty mug pressed against his mouth until he pulled the plate from the nightstand. The silverware on the plate stood out as he picked up the eating utensils before digging in. There was one set for him and one set for her. They had to share breakfast? Well, she could at least scratch death by poisoning if he also was going to eat the same meal. She silently removed herself from the bed to sit on the ground and take a bite. The pancakes were so delicious they nearly melted in her mouth as she smiled happily at the strong maple flavor. Sans had smothered the pancakes in syrup just before he climbed the stairs.

They ate in silence for a while before she placed her silverware on the plate when she was finished, "Thank you for the breakfast." It was the first words that she had spoken to him directly that day. The tension between the two was palpable and easily severed with a knife. He said nothing at first only taking another last bite of pancake shredding its fluffy batter with those sharp teeth turning his attention to her as he chewed. She heard the audible swallow which was even more confusing when one had no throat. It was honestly best not to question where or how things worked for monsters sometimes.

She did not hesitate, sass him, or give him an excuse as to why she would not eat. No, she just sat there and had her meal in peace even if it meant being close to him. Her gentle thank you had him nodding his head. He was not going to let the kid starve as much as he refuted his own claim of not caring, "Yer welcome kid." The plate was not entirely empty as he set it on the table once more with a soft clink. It would be a while before she would have her shift at Grillby's place again so he just sat there awkwardly in his sleeping clothes unsure what to do. A hand came up to scratch the back of his skull averting his crimson gaze from her blue one, "So uh… looks like ya have some time before work. Boss is downstairs but thought ya might get kinda bored so I can set somethin up fer ya up here. If...ya want..." Him of all people was trying to be nice? What was wrong with him? The better question was why was he making such an effort?

Her gaze fell on the socially anxious skeleton who was now in the process of scratching his head. He was avoiding her eyes as well even as he spoke in an almost stuttery like fashion. What had she done to make him act this way? This was not the same skeleton that had pinned her against the gateway back in Snowdin Forest. She remembered her little outburst last night and his reaction to that. It was so strange. It was as if he was actually attempting to be nice but just did not know how to do it. She knew that she would have some time before work but he was practically asking her permission to spend that time together. She must have been dreaming the whole thing. Her head tilted to one side causing her to look like a confused kitten, "I suppose so. What did you have in mind?" She placed her hands and folded them gently in her lap. Everything in her was telling her not give him this chance but even with the voices screaming in her head she was unable to acquiesce to their pleading. She would humor him...for now.

She glanced at him occasionally as he fiddled with some of the screens and electronics in the room in the meantime her kind and courteous nature had her making the bed and have it appear nice. The duvet was lovingly fluffed up only for her to gently sit atop it in those adorable pajamas of hers continuing to watch him work. What in the Underworld was he trying to do anyway? He eventually came to her side to hold out a controller of some kind. It was a deep navy with a shape that reminded her of a kind of spaceship. The various buttons on it were displayed in different areas all color coded in yellow, blue, red, and green. She twirled the little stick that was in the bottom center. _What was he giving this to her for?_

Sans handed her the controller only to give her a confused look as she played with like it was some kind of alien device. Did this kid not know what a video game was? In his bony hands was the other controller painted in a deep black as he came to sit next to her. He made sure to keep some space between them as he turned the screen on. What better way to pass the time right? When the screen lit up so did her eyes widening into bright cobalt spheres. It was clear she had never seen or played anything like this in her life. Well, the Underworld was one thing but she did not even have this on the surface? That could not be right or rather she never had access to it. Either way, it was a tragedy, "Hey doll face ya never played a game before huh?" His ruby gaze fell on her as she looked in his direction.

It was true she never had anything like this when she was on the surface. She knew what it was to some extent but it was something that was new to her. The look on Sans face had her slowly shaking her head at his question. _Why was he acting like this all of a sudden? What was his angle? Did he seriously expect her to just pass by the events of a few days ago?_ He sure had the nerve. Instead of repeating the conversation from the night prior she decided to give him a chance. His last chance. She smiled gently, "Can...you show me how it works?" _Forgive but never forget._ She was practically chewing on her bottom lip mentally as she pushed herself to see the good in him. Now that she was her subconscious was in a never-ending war with itself.

He did not expect her to be so open and the way she smiled at him had him clearing his nonexistent throat and looking away before replying with a grumble, "Sure." It would not be a difficult task but he also knew he needed to keep his distance so he leaned over to her and showed her all the buttons and how to work the controller. The first game that he fired up was a racing game with colorful characters and bright menu screens. At times he would glance over at her seeing how she reacted to things. In the end, she was a fast learner. No wonder Grillby had given her so much praise last night. A few races and she was keeping up with him even winning toward the end. The look that graced her face was priceless as she smiled and laughed. She appeared to be genuinely having a good time.

At around noon, thank goodness he had his clock up here, he headed downstairs to grab them some lunch only to return to see her sitting and waiting for him. She no longer looked away or acted as if being in the same room made her physically uncomfortable or nauseous. He watched as she swung her legs off the bed to stand and meet him. The lunch was simple but tasty. It was a large sub cut in two, one side for him and the other for her. They ate where they had before sitting on the floor in silence before he decided to break it, "Ya look like yer havin fun there dollface." He watched her blink before swallowing the bite she was currently working on. At first, her silence had him feeling similar to last night when she had gone off on him.

Frisk genuinely was enjoying herself being able to forget her circumstances for just a moment. When lunch rolled around she made more of an effort to be kind to him as he was to her. _People could change, right?_ That's what she had to keep believing. The skeleton she was having lunch with and the one that had grabbed her before seemed to be like two separate monsters entirely. The two sides of the same coin, "I am. It has been a lot of fun I have never been able to play anything like it before." Her eyes fell on the half eaten sandwich in her hands, "It...it is nice to act like everything is normal every once in a while and have fun. I almost forgot what it felt like." The smile that appeared on her face was bittersweet. She was enjoying her time more and more and that was something she knew she could not do. Her pause had her finishing her lunch no longer looking up but rather down.

It was killing him. It was killing him and he hated it. That twisting, gnawing, and sickening feeling was returning in full force. He had to push it away, "Well uh…" What was he supposed to say? In these situations, one would apologize. That was not the monster way, "Thought I'd reward ya fer bein so good lately. Not even a fuss." It was the closest to _I'm sorry_ he was going to get right now but at least there was a part of him that wanted to say it. His eye lights flicked toward the screen and flickered before returning to rest on the human sitting in front of him, "Ya know sometimes ya need a break and uh…kitten you've been workin hard an I think that deserves somethin." _Why was he still talking?_ It was almost as if he was still trying to apologize and every time that he opened his mouth something stupid fell out.

Frisk raised an eyebrow as she finished her meal only to end up tilting her head. He would begin to notice it was a habit of her to do so when she was curious or confused. She blinked a few times before out of nowhere she placed a hand over her mouth and started to snicker. That snicker grew causing her to start giggling and laughing leaving the poor skeleton even more confused than before. She just could not contain herself as she leaned her upper back against the edge of the bed, "Right." Her laughter died down before clearing her throat, "Well Sans that was the saddest excuse at a compliment I have ever heard but...I appreciate the effort." She was not stupid it was not only his failure to speak the English language but also his body language. The flickering eyes, the looking away, the stuttering all of it were telltale signs that his anxiety was keeping him captive.

She was... _laughing at him?_ That was the very last kind of reaction he would have assumed. It caused him to just stare at her as the sound grew shaking her frame in a fit of giggles. Did he really look like that much of an idiot? He would not be surprised considering all the new things he was having to experience but she did know he was scary right? A few days ago he would have grabbed her by the wrist and forced her to acknowledge him with those tear-stained cheeks and shuddering eyes but now... He let her laugh even feeling a small smile pull up at the corner of his mouth before shaking his head, "Hey I ain't sayin it was a compliment that's what ya wanna hear right? Tryin ta be nice in shit is exhausting. What the fuck do ya want from me anyway?" Naturally, he would have sounded irritated but that small hint of a smile was still on his face as he rested her chin on his open palm only to be supported by a skeletal knee.

Her cheeks had begun to flush a light pink just from the laughter. It was nice to feel it once again, that emotion that made one smile and push away all those horrible thoughts to the darkest corners of the mind. At one point she began to gently swipe her thumb underneath her eyes to prevent the tears from falling, "I wasn't looking for a compliment bonehead besides it should be genuine not forced." Time to test the waters as she smirked playfully, "You are horribly socially awkward my fine skeletal friend." What was the point in being afraid all the time? Like she said. She was going to give him a chance, ONE LAST chance.

Sans never took his eyes off her as she laughed only for his entire spinal column to go rigid as his back shot up stick straight. Well, she was just full of surprises, wasn't she? He relaxed only to tap the tips of his sharper than normal phalanges against the side of his cheekbone, "Guess that makes sense and watch it there kiddo yo-" His sentence was cut off when she mentioned the idea of friendship. This girl was something else, "Heh. So ya think we're friends huh kitten? Just like that?" He continued to ask questions but he wasn't refuting the claim either. That ball was more in her court than his. Why did she even want to be friends with him anyway? Friendships were a weakness. He thought back to Flowey's protection over the human and as he did his smile faded. The skeleton stood from his place turning his back to her. The once light-hearted aura shifted leaving her smile to fade as well.

She did not mean to make him upset in any way but it looked like even the smallest things would set him off, "Sans I'm sorry I didn't mean. I mean I want to be...friends." Most would have questioned her as to why she wanted such a thing. If she held onto that hope for him than maybe she could bring it to others. His words stung deep within her very soul when he turned his back on her. She could see those skeletal fingers balled up tightly as if he was about to punch a hole in the nearest wall. The tension along his entire upper body was enough to make her feel that same tension. All she really wanted was… His hand relaxed before he turned back to her sitting down with eye sockets closed, "Sure kitten but I ain't gonna get all sappy touchy feely an crap." He cracked open his left eye socket to look at her, "Ya got it?"

Frisk was ready for it, the yelling the wrist grabbing or worse but it never came. Instead, he turned back around seemingly working through the turmoil in his mind and coming back to join her. He made a comment about not being sappy which she never could see him doing in the first place. He did not look angry just very matter of fact. He also accepted her request for a friendship. Her voice was soft when she spoke next, "I was never asking you to." There was no doubt she was still afraid of him especially his unstable mood swings but the fact that he was treating her better gave her hope. A spark within her lit up causing her heart to flutter. It was such an intense emotion it almost brought tears to her eyes. None of the monsters were lost causes. NONE of them.

The skeleton huffed before returning to his relaxed position from before, "Got work soon huh? Guess I should let ya get ready." The day had passed by more quickly than he thought. When was the last time that he genuinely had lost track of all time? The answer was a resounding never. So the human was his _"friend"_ now. What was next? His father suddenly appearing from an ungodly nebulous infernal void to haunt his every waking moment and tear what little happiness he could find from him? No. That was impossible. He rose once more but this time he snapped his fingers and vanished his usual way.

Frisk had to agree that their little gaming time was over. The day had passed by so quickly as she moved to the side of the room with her uniform neatly folded in the corner. The afternoon had been off to a good start and she only hoped that it would continue in such a way as she put on the white blouse slipping button after button through the spaces in the placet. She slid her arms through the holes of her vest making sure it was secure before moving to her leggings and finally her heels. Once she was finished she tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear and waited for her skeletal chaperone.

As the many times prior once she was ready the two teleported outside of the house into the Snowdin cold where they slowly made their way to Grillby's for the night. They walked side by side each other striking up a conversation about how she was going to beat him at the game when she got back to which his response was a smirk and roll of his eye lights. At least it no longer felt like they had to walk in silence it was nice to just talk. The walk was not a long distance as she pushed open the doors of the club only to have a skeletal hand support the weight of one. She stepped inside waving to a couple she had met the previous night. Her attention was once again on the job not realizing that this time Sans made no move to leave.

It took her a moment when she turned to face him and was nearly scared out her skin when it happened, "Stars...S...Sans, what are you still doing here?" Why did she always run into him when she had valuable items in her hands? In this case, it was one of the finer glasses. She continued to dry it and take orders as he sat at the bar. His eye sockets were squinted as he looked around the place. In fact, he barely acknowledged her question as she waved her hand gingerly in front of his face to gain his attention, "Uh...earth to Sans?" He swatted at her hand before she shrugged and continued with her work. Her job took her to place some orders but while she was gone, Sans had disappeared. Now that she thought about it Grillby had not met with her either. She just assumed he was busy.

The night ran just as smoothly as it had before as she made her way back to the kitchen only to bump into a monster much taller than her. He was a dog monster very similar to the sentries but black in color. A patch of long fur that doubled as his hair was swept messily to one side in a bright cobalt blue color. His eyes were rimmed with a charcoal grey from which bright red eyes looked down at her. A series of grey and blue leopard-like spots ran down the base of its neck as mismatched colored red and blue claws moved to pull at her vest. He was dressed in the usual waiter attire. A similar uniform to the one she was currently wearing. A key feature was his silver nose ring and giant fluffy tail which was black with blue stripe rings like that of a raccoon only to end in a set of menacing jaws. It would open and snap at things occasionally which led her to believe that he had no control over the thing. He was the head waiter and technically her supervisor. She moved out of his way, "Oh...umm h...howdy it's Scratch right?"

He had just walked past her before turning his head to coldly set his sights on the human, "Yes that's right." Not the most talkative type but she wanted to get to know her co-workers more. She had no idea what was in store and how long she was going to be working here. What she did know is that her kindness was spread to everyone no matter their initial reluctance, "I just wanted to introduce myself my name is." Her introduction was cut short, "Yes, Frisk we know… Grillby has not stopped speaking of you. It is a pleasure to meet you, Frisk." Well, at least he was nice about it which perked up her spirits quite a bit, "Thank you." The girl's disposition here was so different as she felt they accepted her more, human or not. If anything the rest of the employee's turned a blind eye. He spoke once more out of the blue, "Forgive me but do you not have a break soon? You should take one at some point." That was right she had to take a break not to mention find her boss just to at least say hi, "I will, thank you Scratch." He inclined his head before leaving with a large black tray.

The absence of her Boss had her at some point taking a break to find him. That was not the best decision as she found herself in a room that she had never been before, "Uh...Mr. Grillby?" It was almost as if it were a private lounge of sorts all decorated in finery and luxury. A meeting area perhaps? She had no time to investigate as she heard voices from down the hall coming in her direction. She was pretty sure that she was not supposed to be in this place as she hid under the massive oval table in the center of the room. The first voice she did not recognize. It was sing-songy almost in a fake tone, sweet but also dangerous. The second voice was that of her boss, Grillby who had opened the door for a group of people all of which took seats around the table she was currently cowering under. Her eyes darted to the pair of pristine black shoes under the table accompanied by a pair of white spats. _Oh good_ yep that was her boss alright.

All the voices surrounding her were jumbled currently as they all spoke with one another only when she heard Grillby's voice did the chatter die down, "Well I find it out of character for you to call such an impromptu meeting Muffet." _Muffet?_ Where had she heard that name before? She had a feeling she better remember and quick, "Uhuhuhu~ Oh Grillby dearie why? Are we pulling you away from your girls?~ Can't a little lady speak with her fellow business associates? I do desperately miss our long talks." The voice to her left sounded almost flirty with a hint of authority to it. It was someone you did not want to mess with. She could hear Grillby's audible sigh of exasperation, "I know you are not here for a simple visit. Do get to the point." The feminine voice spoke once more, "Oh Grillby you do know how to get to the point very well. I heard the most curious rumor yesterday about you hiring a human? Not just any human but the last soul? Now please tell me those are wrong~"

She noticed that he remained perfectly calm through the entire conversation, "And if I did?" It was clear Grillby could hold his own he was not going to pushed around by this Muffet character, "You have no control over my personal business practices." They were discussing her which made her curl up on herself trying to get as far away from the others just above her. Muffet's tone had changed from lighthearted to downright irritated, "You employed a fugitive human in which what? What do you hope to gain Grillby dear? Please enlighten me about this choice.~" Frisk could not help the gulp that forced its way down her throat, "She is but a child Muff have a heart." Muffet just started to laugh in that oh so condescending fashion, "ahuhuhuhuhu Dearie does this have something to do with Fuku? Is it because you let that human wear what you were going to give her? I have eyes everywhere you know.~"

Grillby went rigid from what she could see under the table at the mention of the name Fuku. She could not see his rage but she sure could hear it. The table above her was forcefully slammed causing her to jump and nearly end up latching onto the fire elementals leg. It was a good thing that he was now standing with a voice the deepest and the most rage-filled she had ever heard, "How dare you! GET OUT!" Muffet pushed her chair back passing by Frisk with shiny metallic red heels and just as she passed she could see the snippet of a massive fur overcoat. She mentioned something about striking a nerve in which Grillby shouted again causing the temperature in the room to raise at least 30 degrees. The flames of his hands were no longer that mixture of purples and blues but rather a deep pitch black that slowly began to fade as he took a seat once more. As he pulled up his chair she heard the distinct clink of ice falling into a glass and the sound of pouring liquid, "You can come out from hiding Frisk." He downed the glass and set it down gently.

 _He knew she was there the entire time?!_ The only thing she could do was crawl from her little hiding space and poke her head up from the table like a meerkat watching for predators, "S...sorry I didn't mean to intrude." His flames had returned to their usual color and yet there was one color that was mixed in that she had never seen before, a bright neon green. He had his attention on the glass he was fiddling with. His expression was forlorn like that outburst had drained him of his energy. It was a fact that this Fuku meant a lot to him and for some reason, she was a part of it, "I promise I didn't mean to. I was just looking for you on my break and I...I messed up didn't I?" She inclined her head in apology.

He shook his head and placed his unoccupied hand to his forehead, "It is alright Frisk I am not angry with you." He took a sip of his drink just staring off into space not once averting his attention from the table in front of him, "Muffet is right. I have been seeing her in you." The fire elemental finally turned to look at her before using his hand to gesture to an open seat, "We need to discuss something." His voice though calm and collected sounded tired. The comment had set him on fire, pun intended and caused him to kick everyone out. It was the way she said it like he let his past cloud his judgment was what irked him the most. She hesitantly took a seat still looking down as if she was afraid of what his next words were going to be.

Grillby lifted the glass slowly to his lips taking a final drink before sliding his fingers through his fiery hair slicking back the flames. That green was still ever present acting almost like a colored streak in his "hair". He uttered one word before closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair, "Fuku." His posture seemed to fall from the confident flirty businessman to an exhausted father figure, "The outfit you are wearing used to be my daughters. Her name was Fuku." His eyes fell on her downturned in a pain that he rarely let show, "She...reminds me of you. You would be the same age now even your personality and smile." He placed his hand on her face gently rubbing a thumb against a pale cheek. The touch caused the skin to flush just from his own natural magical warmth. She heard him speak with a gentle voice, "So much like her." It did not matter to him that she was not a monster he saw so much of Fuku in this sweet human girl that it hurt his own soul.

The elemental pulled his hand away from her letting a soft sigh leave him before he picked up his glass watching the ice swirl around lazily, "It was a very long time ago. A time when we were on the surface just like the humans. We shared everything, technology, laws, morality, and magic. There was a point in time where no one thought twice about monster or human. When the war began I was called to the kings side as a general of sorts. An elite tactician and warrior skilled in combat and a fighter to the very core. Our king being as benevolent as he was kind felt that if blood was to be spilled then it would be away from the innocent. It was but a foolish notion. The innocent are never safe from such brutality." His fingers set the glass down but his gaze remained fixed on the ice within the glass as he told his story. It reminded her of when Toriel had told her the plight of the monsters a long time ago, "I had a wife and a daughter their names were Adara and Fuku, and they were so very much like you. I see so much of Fuku in you Frisk but because of who I was within rank they were not spared. I never asked for the details hoping it was spare me the pain. It was the day I promised I would hang up my armor and retire. A joke if there ever was one considering my line of work." There was only silence afterward.

Frisk could not help the pitiful look on her face as she listened. He had lost his only daughter as well as his wife. Now she understood why he looked at her a certain way and praised her as he did, "I am sorry for your loss. It hurts me to think that I bring up those painful memories for you. I know nothing I say will fill that hole." She placed a hand over her heart and smiled sadly up at him. There was no greater pain than losing someone you love even though she did not know the feeling herself she knew it was true, "It is even worse that the nature of your loss is so unclear. Sometimes talking helps. I am here to listen." Another monster wronged by the actions of humanity. The more she heard of this the more it made her sick. One could not place one action on the entirety of a people and yet she was beginning to feel something dark lock her in that mindset. _The humans would pay_.

 _*The monsters would pay_

His gaze finally lifted from the glass in front of him to smile sadly back at the girl, "No Frisk. You bring me memories that I cherished with them. That uniform you are wearing was going to belong to my daughter, but she never was able to wear it. I had promised back then that after the war I would open a family business like a bar of some sort. We would all be together and my days of combat would be behind me. I tried to keep their memory alive with this place though I fear that is a foolish notion. It is nothing like we wanted but with my loss, I fell into this...life. I am sure you have heard enough of my reputation?" He posed the question very bluntly but not in a mean fashion. It was just a simple inquiry.

Frisk really liked Grillby even with what others had said about him floating in the back of her mind. He was always kind to her like a father figure. A type of figure that she knew little of. It was warming her heart and perhaps her soul as well, "I hope that I am doing such a gift justice. Their memory is alive in the story you tell and your own soul. I think they would be proud of you. It may not be the family business you imagined but it is a place where the monsters here enjoy themselves. Every time they walk through the door you take away their worries, or anger, or doubt if only for a while. That is a gift all its own." Her sad pitying smile upturned to a genuine one as her soul burned with that feeling. _So familiar and yet so unplaceable_.

His curiosity about her knowledge of his reputation had her folding her hands in her lap before speaking. She kept a confidence about her as she was neither scared or nervous, "I have heard my share of rumors. I was told you are just one head of a major crime syndicate here. That you deal in vice and unsavory things and that you are the last person I should be talking to." She kept her eyes glued to his own as she spoke very matter of fact, "Even if those things are true and forgive me for saying so, but I have not had a single reason to think such things."

Her eyes fell on the finger that was now tapping on his chin lightly before responding with a raised brow and a straight face, "All of those claims are accurate. Not one of them is a lie. Does that bother you?" The response was not one he was expecting it would seem as his reaction was to fold his arms and blink those white eyes at her multiple times, "No, of course not. I don't judge people by reputation. I feel safe here even if others think I shouldn't. Sans calls me stupid and naive and maybe he is right but… I guess I am just stubborn. I don't want to fight. I just wish to help as much as I can and I know the one thing I can do." She closed her eyes, "It is not easy but I never expected it to be. All I really want is for a little bit of faith." Her eyes were about to open but not before she felt arms around her. Gemstone eyes fluttered open now in a warm embrace. He had hugged her unexpectedly but since he was taller than her he was on his knees to do it. The fluff of his jacket was so close it was tickling her nose only for him to pull back and place a hand over her own. It was so warm, "Such a selfless act for either human or monster. Frisk… don't let anyone put that light out within you that shines so brightly. Sure we monsters may be rude, uncaring, and dangerous but you are changing that."

The small hug ended so suddenly only for her eyes to widen as large as small dinner plates at his words. The pupils began to waver as she felt her dry eyes begin to moisten. Those words. She could hardly process them let alone the meaning they held, "I...I have never thought anything like….like that….I." Her words were jumbled and mixed up together by such a strongly held emotion. The tears slipped from widened eyes as they evaporated when they came in contact with the fiery fingers wiping at them.

Grillby felt for this girl more than he ever thought possible as his genuine words caused tear stains down those youthful pale cheeks, "You are not giving yourself any credit my dear. Do you not see it? I was surprised when Sans brought you to me normally he would have taken care of you in a most unpleasant manner. I have known him for many years and yet I find him with you in tow at my bar. I must say that I was rather surprised. It may be unclear to you now my dear but you have a magic about you. A magic that is not replicated by any of us. It is unique to you do not ever lose sight of it." His hand came to rest on her head before standing and straightening his suit. This time he pulled the cuff back to look at an ornate watch made of gold and purple crystal, "It is nearing the end of your shift let us return to the floor."

She was about to take his hand when someone burst through arms outstretched from nearly breaking the door to the meeting room. It was...It was Sans?! What had him so flustered and worried? Those black pits of lightless terror bore into her before thank stars, his eyes returned. He still looked pretty shaken up. At this point Grillby had his arms folded across his chest looking at the skeleton with a raised eyebrow and a tapping foot. He did not need to ask anything as his body language did the interrogating for him, "Ummm Sans? What are you-" She felt those skeletal claw-like fingers wrap firmly around her forearms.

Sans had left and returned home for what felt like a few hours. In actuality, the time in which he had left the human alone at Grillby's was approximately fifteen minutes. Even within the comfort of his own home, he was pacing back and forth enough to burn a hole in the carpet. One situation arose after another with more horrifying outcomes than the last. He had even resorted to chewing on his fingers which was a habit he thought he had cured himself of a long time ago. In fact, there were a lot of things about his personality that seemed different than usual. His final pace had him balling up his fist and preparing to punch a wall but just as his skeletal knuckles were about to do some damage to the defenseless wooden board of his door frame. He paused. What was happening to him?! _He didn't care not one bit nope not at all_. Fuck...he did care too much. Other than his older brother he did not care about much. It was a world that was shifting only it was not the kind of change he looked forward to. It was a change that kept you in the past. It was horrible. Everything made him so enraged but now all he did was stand there staring at a door frame he was just about to put his fist clean through.

He eventually returned to the bar keeping his distance but still keeping the human in his line of sight. Even the other activities going on around him would not pry his crimson eyes away. The moment he did she had vanished leaving him in a mild panic. _He shouldn't care nope!_ _She would be just fine right?_ Why did he not think about it this way before now? His mind drifted back to earlier that morning. That was when he realized even with all the monotony that this world brought she broke that for him. He genuinely enjoyed laughing and joking around. Oh, she really had him by the chain if he was going to start to think like that. All those thoughts swirled around in his skull as he moved from room to room before he saw her through the frosted glass with what appeared to be Grillby. Out of impulse he opened the door harshly and grabbed her by the arms, "Kid time ta go." Stupid human making him….what?... _worry_?

She just stared at him before wincing lightly at his grip. The monsters were all strong and honestly, she was unsure if they knew of their own strength, "Sans… what in stars!?" Grillby in the meantime had his attention on the distraught human, "Remember what I said darlin." That comment was followed with a wink as Sans pushed her out the door only to corner her in the hallway away from Grillby. This was not looking good in the slightest as she was starting to tense up. It genuinely scared her when he got like this.

Why he had been so rough was beyond him but now he had her cornered in the hallway, "Frisk what are ya thinkin!?" He did not like her being alone with Grillby as he knew the guy too well, "Just...take better care of ya self. Be more careful. How many times I gotta beat that lesson inta ya?" His grip had loosened but his eyes were still burning that bright ruby red, "Now let's go." This time he did not drag her but rather let her walk alongside him which she only did after she expressed her confusion.

Frisk had been through a lot of things since she fell into this world so she could believe any scenario but Sans being overprotective was not on that list. He was still rude and pushy but not aggressively like he had been in the past, "Sans… w...wait I am fine. What is with you all of a sudden? You brought me here in the first place remember?" _Wait did Grillby's words ring true?_ She followed after him quickly but once they were outside of the bar she grabbed him by a jacket sleeve, "Sans...stop!" She was practically panting as he turned to look at her throwing a bag down at her feet. It was her satchel. The same one she had used all throughout Snowdin forest.

He knew this was the best option just to get rid of this feeling forming within him. It was unwanted and it had to go. _Feelings are weakness_. All the things she had up in that secret room of his he had grabbed and shoved them into the bag he remembered from before. He gave her little time to pick the item up as he, as gently as he could, began to lead her back to her next save. The one by the Inn. The sooner she was gone the sooner he could return to his not giving a shit attitude with a side of fuck you thrown in, "Save an then its time ta go kitten. Fer good this time." He stared at her with his arms crossed over his chest and a mild scowl.

She felt her heart racing but that was partially due to the abruptness of the entire situation leaving her to save quickly and stare up at that menacing scowl. It hurt for some reason, "You...want me to leave…" The rhetorical question hung in the air as they both looked at each other. She knew she would not be able to stay in Snowdin for long but it stung. She thought she had finally gotten through to him that their time this morning was proof that maybe things could change but who was she kidding? Her legs took a step back as she clung the satchel with her tightly against her side, "I thought…" That soft voice returned with a hint of waver as she proceeded to take steps back. He really did not want anything to do with her. How stupid and foolish was she!?

Sans was not thinking straight as he stood there intimidating the poor girl with a toothy scowl, "Ya what? Thought I thought any different bout cha? Don't flatter yerself kid yer just a means ta an end." He matched her steps back with steps forward only to grab her chin, "See I enjoy makin ya think we are all close an all then tellin ya like it is. Hard ta swallow? Aint it?" He could see those blue eyes shuddering back and forth filling quickly with tears only to spill down her face in large trials. What he just said was cruel, even for him. He did not even mean to say it. Why? _Because none of it was true_. It was better if she just made her way as quickly to Waterfall as possible. The further she was from his brother the safer she would be.

 _*I told you so_

Frisk didn't know what to do as she felt as though a dagger was being forced into her heart. _Again_. She had trusted him again and then he pulled this!? This time she actually cried only to rip her face away from his grip and start running as fast as she could away from him. After all of that. That fire that burned within her began to dim as she wiped at her eyes picking up her pace. He was a jerk and worst kind. A manipulative person that only wanted to pretend like there was any chance of friendship there. What she didn't understand completely was why she wanted it so badly. He was like the milestone. If she could get through to Sans then there was a chance for everyone else. Grillby was wrong. He had not changed. She flew by the skeleton's home and ran and ran not even feeling her legs any longer.

He stood there watching her retreat further and further into the backdrop of the place he called home. _Why did he do it? Why did he try to justify all these horrible things?_ He knew better. He could feel his sins crawling on his own back. _This was better for her right?_ She never saw that his expression had changed entirely reaching out with a newfound guilt etched into his skeletal mug. _Frisk….wait!_ A part of him wanted to run after her and actually monster up with an apology or something. It was better than leaving it the way he just did, with a snap of his fingers he found himself ahead of her near the house but still hidden. What was he going to say to her after that? _I'm sorry I didn't mean it. You don't understand I have this problem. I don't know how to say things like you want me to? I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it._ **_I DIDN'T MEAN IT!_** She ran right past him as he moved to run after her only freezing in place when he felt a very familiar presence up ahead. _Oh no_.

Her tears finally dried as the wind whipped past cutting and slashing at her skin with icy lashes. Her heart raced trying to pump as fast as it was able without killing her. Every second she stayed here her sadness only grew in its ferocity clawing at her mind and heart. The wind began to shift casting an eerie icy fog over the area she was running at full speed. She attempted to halt her progression but in vain. It was too late as a shadow emerged from the mist brandishing an ax like halberd and a scarf that whipped in the flurry.

 ****THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS BLOCKS THE WAY****

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛** **14** **t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

 _End of Entry..._


	25. THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS

Summary:

The Great and Terrible Papyrus blocks Frisk's way. That can not be good. She knew that their encounter would be inevitable. How many chances can one give? Is it possible to put your faith and trust in someone that has done you wrong? Is it true that maybe people can change?

{DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains graphic imagery and strong dark themes such as death, maiming, gore, and murder. It's really not that bad comparatively but I like to be thorough. Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

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 **Welcome to the Underworld** **  
**{Log 2: Snowdin

Entry 13: THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS}

There he was towering above her in the most menacing way possible The Head of the Royal Guard. She had the unfortunate luck to run into the skeleton very briefly back when she had made her journey through Snowdin Forest but now she was face to face with him. Sans had not been exaggerating when he spoke of the intimidation and the menacing aura his older brother gave off. She had only seen him from a distance but now that she was up close and personal she could see how papyrus was the most feared member of the entire battalion. It was not just his rank but also his appearance.

At first, he looked down at her with a touch of confusion swirling in those squinted eye sockets but only for a second before his jagged mouth morphed into a twisted smirk. He did not expect the human to be here after having them traverse the bridge from before. Sans was supposed to bring them if they had survived but the human slipped by... somehow . It was abundantly clear that his brother had misstepped somewhere along the way but no matter, the human was now at his feet. They looked up at him with large blue eyes shuddering unlike before. The pressure of his usual weapon resting against his collarbone began to shift. There was complete silence only the sound the of the flurry around them made any noise. Only the fog like trails of breath hitting the frigid air were visible from the two.

Frisk had to do something if she stayed here then she would end up a prisoner or worse by the look in Boss' eye sockets something told her he had no intention of bringing her living body to the King. She gulped audibly frozen in place trying to will her terrified limbs to move. All she was focusing on was the glint of the blade that he rested on his shoulder. It was a combination of two weapons and though her combat knowledge was minimal she had heard about its type before. In fact, she had seen a replica of it embedded in a stone effigy in the center of town. It was Boss' weapon of choice even though the monsters did not need weapons at all as their magic was their greatest strategic asset. Boss obviously preferred it overexerting the energy that magic cost him.

The weapon that gleamed wickedly behind him was two-fold. A combination of both a halberd and a massive ax. At first, she guessed that the weapon had been forged by a smith of some kind but it reflected its terrifying skeletal owner much too accurately for that to be the case. The entire base of the weapon looked like bones stacked upon one another with a mild yellowish tint to them. It could have been wood made to look like bone but she did not want to think of the other possibility. A leather banding in the center presumably kept the weapon together though structurally that made little sense. It was probably more decorative just as the same treatment was given to the bottom. The scrap of torn material flapped lazily in the wind.

The blade was a deep onyx and tipped on the edge in a metallic gunmetal. The length of the blade was smooth at the top only to end in menacing saw-like teeth at the bottom where the metal twisted into an antique gold. The bottom was a strange curve like pattern but the top was very reminiscent of the wings of the Delta Rune she had seen so many times glinting in a metallic gold. The inside curve of the blade housed another rather disturbing set of bones only these reminded her of a ribcage one in which housed a kind of magical energy of crimson, orange, and black. It's magical glow burned like a wildfire twisting and curling making it almost appear like smoke. It was all self-contained but she had a feeling that the weapon, very similar to Sans magic would change depending upon the wielders emotional state and right now Boss looked unnervingly calm. The staring match continued.

Sans knew his brother was up ahead just as he was about to run after her his stride came to a screeching halt. Papyrus would be able to see him at this point if he looked up. He had to do something or say something anything to convince his brother to spare the human or at least take her prisoner. His legs began to move on their own accord only for him to stop as the blade his brother wielded came down without warning slicing into the human-like a hot knife through butter. He was standing right there as the blood-spattered his face and clothing. Everything just stopped as his eyes slowly moved down to witness the contorted body. The expression on his face was blank as he stared in disbelief eye sockets void of all light. Her blood was all over him a crimson pool that now stained the snow running just under his shoes. What was wrong? He had done this a million times before and yet this time it felt different, wrong . His brother spotted him just as the world began to darken. At first, it was the background fading into the black abyss before his brother lost all color turning entirely into a palettes of deathly greys and blacks vanishing entirely. This is what it was like to have knowledge of a reset. It was when the entire world fell away leaving only those that could see the anomalies around them. Once the event sucked the world dry there she was. She was laying in a sickening ruby pool torn and hacked to bits.

The mangled body was weaving itself together with ruby red threads in front of him. He had never witnessed this before. He should have been returning by now but something was keeping him in this limbo. Once the healing was done that bright blue soul lay just above her in mid-air as they both floated in the empty darkness. His once bloodied clothes and face were also wiped clean as he watched the spectacle. Those inky long lashes parted only for her to stare upward and blink slowly. She had died, killed by Boss without warning. When was the last time that she found herself here? It had been quite a while as she shifted only for her feet to finally land on solid ground. Her hands shook as she placed one on her chest making sure that she was still intact. It still hurt but at least she had not felt this way in quite some time. She moved forward only to pause at the console she had become familiar with.

It had changed since she had been here last. This time there was the same buttons of course but above it were a set of monitors that displayed her deaths in gruesome details like scene clips from a movie. The encounter with Boss was in the lower right but the rest of them were filled with the deaths that Sans had given her. It must have been a projection of her subconscious to have these monitors here displaying gruesome end after gruesome end. All she did was lower her head just staring at her two options. Their soft yellow and white glow made her look almost like a ghost caught in this place though the real phantom was yet to be seen.

Sans did not manage to land on solid ground like she had done as hard as he tried. He ended up moving like one would underwater only to float next to the human that now stood in the black abyss they were now occupying, "Hey… kiddo ya know what this place is?" There was no response, "Uh Frisk?" The skeleton crossed his arms and closed his eyes in a huff, "Look I know what I said before hurt ya but I didn't mean it so stop givin me tha silent treatment I'm tryin ta talk ta ya since I've never been ere before." Again there was no response. His eyebrow bones furrowed as he waved a hand in front of her face but she never reacted. Only when the light of consol appeared did he realize that the hand he was waving in front of her was transparent like that of a spirit. He could see her but she could not see or hear him, "What tha-!?"

When the screens materialized he did not know what to think. This place could not have been in her mind otherwise there was some other messed up shit going on since he would have no idea how he invaded her subconscious. The first one was the death enacted by his older brother but the rest of them caused his eye sockets to widen. Every available screen was playing scenes of him, of them. Every death. Every reset. Every drop of blood spilled. It was like his personal window into his own sins. He had not cared before as he could tell, laughing and making jokes but now it was different. The image reflected back at him caused that feeling to rise once more. He knew of this obviously but seeing it on full display...I really am a monster… A sing-songy giggle filled the room for a moment followed by a soft almost sadistically amused voice.

*Yes you are. Not so fun when you are on the other side is it Sansy? When you see your sins so clear as day~

His attention was on this new voice, "Who tha fuck are ya!?" No response. He growled angrily nearly shouting into the darkness, "How tha fuck do ya know ma name!? An what do ya want!?" The voice that had tickled his skull had vanished entirely as he turned his attention back up at the screens forcing himself to tear his eyes away to look at her instead. The longer he looked at himself and more hatred he could feel boiling within. Her hands were gripping tightly to the console before he heard a soft pitter patter. At first, he looked up to see if this place could even have rain or have any kind of weather but it wasn't coming from the sky. It was coming from her.

The small water droplets had made that soft barely noticeable noise as she slowly leaned over the console for support. Her shoulders were shuddering and quaking as she wiped her arm over her eyes aggressively. He could hear the sniffling and hitched breath as she began to break down. The sound of a fist aggressively slamming into the metal jolted him before he tried to at least get closer, "Frisk?" It was a lost cause she could not see or hear him. There was nothing he could do but put his hand on her upper back trying to act like he was doing it out of comfort. He did not have to hide here no one else was present and a part of him liked that better. If only he could make what was in here happen out there. One doubled over and one floated letting emotions take hold for a while.

Only when the tide of emotions finally ebbed did she set her palm upon the continue option causing the entire world to crack and shatter into a bright white and golden light. It was so blinding that suddenly his eyes snapped open and the snowy backdrop of Snowdin was once again spread before him. It took him a second to regain his surroundings before he saw Frisk laying there on the ground completely unharmed. He stood there unsure what to do so instead he reached for her only to help her up. That was not like him at all, "Hey. Kid wake up." Should he shake her gently? No, probably not the best idea. Did this happen every time she reset? Even that scene from before was new to him so he was unsure. There was no doubt with absolute certainty that he did not want her to know what he had seen.

Frisk's eyes snapped open when she heard his voice. She did not even have to look at him to know who it was as she shoved him away and scrambled backward only to smack her head against the wall of the Inn. Her entire body was in conflict with itself. One half of her wanted to run like before and the other half was entirely frozen. She had that look about her like one might find with a cornered and wounded animal, "S...stay away from me!" The cold caused her throat to burn but that was not the only factor as she stared up at him with a look of betrayal etched into her face so deep that one might have confused her for a sorrowful statue.

He should have expected such a reaction, "Frisk listen I ain't. I don't wanna." A growl slipped past his teeth from his own inability to just monster up, "I ain't gonna hurt-" She scrambled to the side only for her take off again. This time he attempted to grab at her sleeve but he just missed causing him to stumble resting his hands on his knees, "FRISK WAIT!" She would be running right back to Boss and that could only spell another reset in giant bold letters. He teleported to where he had been before only for her to see him this time and just keep running. Damn it! He had severely fucked this up big time.

Frisk knew who was up ahead as she continued to run even passing by Sans in the process. She never wanted to see him again after what he had said. He was no better than anyone else in this cruel and unforgiving world in which she had the misfortune to be born into. Her legs carried her into the fog that lay ahead and as soon as the shape of Papyrus materialized she halted ready to dodge the next attack. This time she was ready and it was a good thing too as one more long stride from the skeleton would have had her nearly close enough to touch him.

At first, he looked down at her with a touch of confusion swirling in those squinted eye sockets but only for a second before his jagged mouth morphed into a twisted smirk. He did not expect the human to be here after having them traverse the bridge from before. Sans was supposed to bring them if they had survived but the human slipped by...somehow. It was abundantly clear that his brother had misstepped somewhere along the way but no matter the human was now at his feet. They looked up at him with large blue eyes shuddering unlike before. The pressure of his usual weapon resting against his collarbone began to shift, "SO HUMAN YOU MANAGED TO SURVIVE MY GAUNTLET OF DEADLY DOOM. I SHOULD SAY I AM IMPRESSED BUT THAT TRAP WAS MUCH TOO EASY!" A feeling of deja vu had set in causing him to hold off on his planned attack.

She wished it had been an easy set of obstacles but she distinctly remembered the sheer luck of it all. She would have been burned to a crisp or impaled but somehow she had survived the entire thing by the skin of her teeth. He did not make a move to swing the blade at her and spoke this time. That was odd. There was nothing in this setup that would have prompted an unscripted reaction. She practically had done the exact same set of actions only to receive a different outcome. When it came to this reset ability that did not happen. EVER, "It was...far from easy." She had to keep her guard up as she kept her eyes glued to the intimidating Captain of the Royal Guard.

Boss swung his blade off his shoulder slamming it down into the snow beside him. The human was to be captured dead or alive. If he was going to kill the human he could have done so by now but it felt wrong to him. It was much too easy after all the fuss about a human falling into their world one would think it would be a little more of a challenge. He was never one to take the easy route, "OF COURSE IT WASN'T! IT WAS CONSTRUCTED BY ME! NYEHEHAHAHAHAHA!" His laugh carried on the snow with a distinct arrogance and mirth. He still reminded her of some sort of evil cartoon villain. Even his laugh was leaning more diabolical mastermind then a cold-blooded killer.

Well at the very least he was talking to her and not trying to swing that ax and cut her into two halves. It had been a quick death and yet the idea of being painfully hacked was not a pleasant one, "O...of course. I just barely made it out alive." She desperately hoped that speaking to him would keep her alive at least until she could formulate some kind of a plan. What she failed to realize was that though Boss preferred to use his own weapon for his kills he too had magical ability. An egregious misstep as she stood there unaware of the dangers that lurked right underneath her feet.

The skeleton crossed his arms over his chest tapping red-gloved fingers against his exposed forearms. He was looking at her with a raised brow bone as she spoke but that smirk never left his face. The expression only made him seem like he was humoring the human now speaking to him. She was smaller than he expected and not all that threatening. The rest of the monsters were afraid of this tiny creature? Either way, orders were orders, "WELL HUMAN PREPARE TO BE CAPTURED BY I THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS! KING ASGORE WILL BE MOST PLEASED!" This time he placed his hand on his chest in a pose of premature victory.

Frisk fidgeted slightly as she watched him keeping her gaze on the weapon now embedded in the snow. It was not even a moment before the small movement of one of his fingers made her nervous. Rightfully so as with that small flick of his finger, an orange bone like spear shot right through her foot. Her blood dripped from the spike tipping it in a deep crimson. She was unable to move as a scream was ripped from her throat followed by her knees crashing to the earth. These attacks were very similar. She had been on the impaling end of them before. She simpered gripping at the spear with slick bloodied fingers. There was no way to get it out unless it receded back into the ground from whence it shot from and that was not going to happen. It was painful but that was just the beginning.

Sans was watching almost to the point that he felt that maybe Boss' harshness would be dulled by her just like she had done to him but he gave his older brother too much credit. The scream that came from her had his skull ringing. What was he going to do? It was not like Papyrus to just brutally cripple someone and then take their beating souls back to the capitol. No, that was not his way. That's when it happened as she tried to keep the tears from her eyes at the pain and helplessness the end was near. A single snap and more of the same attack came to impale the human like a horrifying macabre pin cushion. Her body was nearly torn to shreds exposing bone and spilling blood as the attack held up the mangled body only to hear his brother speak once more, "THE KING NEVER SAID IT HAD TO BE AN ALIVE PRISONER!"

Something inside him froze. What was worse was that he had to see her mangled body through it all. Her head was turned to one side staring directly at him as he watched that vivid bright blue fade away. He was watching the life drain from her eyes. Even if she came back this was a brutal and sadistic spectacle he no longer wanted to be a part of. He had to turn away only to hear his brothers laughter added to the ringing in his skull.

The darkness once again devoured the world as he slowly turned to see her resting there once again unharmed. His ghostly form was the same as before trying to get her attention but to no avail. This time she barely hesitated to hit that button sending them both right back to the front of Snowdin Inn. He had no hesitation as he helped her up exactly as he had done before but this time he was ready to grab at her wrist when she tried to flee. It was a waiting game and this time he had to stop her from running straight into death, again .

Her eyes opened only to feel a pressure against her back and shoulder. Oh stars no . She slowly turned her head to see Sans keeping her propped up. Why did he insist on making her life miserable like this?! She pulled away harshly only to have him snatch her wrist not harshly but firmly enough that when she struggled it was futile. It went on for a while where she would try and yank herself away from him with her eyes closed on the verge of tears, "L….let go! I never want to talk to you or see you again Sans!" Her voice was choking as that feeling of betrayal began to drown her.

Sans held her close preventing her from ripping herself away. She was in tears and shouting at him as he tried to reason with her, "Frisk….Frisk listen ta me!" He turned her body to face him as his fingers dug into her shoulders. She would not even look at him but her struggling seemed to die down so he loosened his grip, "Look I… Kid I ain't." He placed one of his hands over his face with eye sockets shut tight before taking a deep inhale and exhale, "Kitten what I said before. It. It wasn' true. I didn' mean ta." His words were all jumbled and barely put together properly but one set of words did, "hurt ya..." He could feel her body go entirely stiff.

She felt her body go rigid at what just came out of his mouth. It was not followed by a growl or a huff but it felt genuine. Her head slowly began to shake back and forth not able to believe anything he was saying, "I don't believe you! You are lying! It is all you ever do!" She could feel her entire body shaking from it all and it had nothing to do with the cold. A hand came up to place it on her own forehead trying to hide her face from him as best as she could. She would not be able to take much more of this constant questioning of her own kindness. One last chance. That is what she had given him and he said the things he did. Now he was trying to erase that, "I'm such a fool for thinking that you would actually be my friend!" There a pain grew in her soul and the sound of a crack forming could be heard, metaphorically of course .

He tried to calm her protests but they only grew in ferocity. One after the other her entire body would quake with her screams. She called him a liar and though he knew that was not true he also did not blame her for thinking that way, "I ain't lyin." His voice was the softest and most quiet since...then , "I know ya don't believe me so I'm gonna prove it ta ya. Ya wanna know how to get past ma bro?" He cleared his nonexistent throat, "Ma bro has a massive ego. Playoff it. If ya get on his good side he'll probably capture ya instead of killin ya. If ya manage to dodge his attacks then'l be impressed. It ain't easy ta impress Pap but if ya manage ta do it yer golden." His grip loosened more letting her just sit up on her own, "And uh watch out for his special attack. Yanno those bones that'r orange in color? Keep movin. If ya stay still they'll get ya fer sure just like before." He mimicked the action he had done in the dark space she found herself when she died gently rubbing her back in small circles, "If anyone can get past ma bro it's you doll." Finally, he could feel her stop shaking.

The skeleton was in no way in the clear with her but he was showing a side to himself that he seemed to rarely do. He was trying to be helpful and apologizing? At least the best way he could. She could feel his fingers gently rubbing her back as she pulled herself together, "I...I want to believe you and….and…." Her eyes turned up to his filled with tears as they cascaded down her cheeks, "I don't want to die a...again." It was a deep despair that only she knew that could be seen in the depths of her soul as without warning she grabbed a hold of the lapel of his jacket and buried her face into the nice warm red turtleneck just silently sobbing. No one could quite understand the pains of her trials. Each one was leaving a scar. A scar that only added to that pain.

He froze when he found her face buried in his chest. Wasn't he the last person on earth that she would seek comfort from? Maybe it was just pure desperation. He flinched before his arms slowly came down to hold her keeping her to his chest. This was definitely not something he would have ever expected. It just was not something that happened here but for him, in that small moment, he felt like he was doing something good in his cruel way of life especially for someone so deserving of it. Even his malice from before though not actually true had him wanting to change. It was the way of their world but why did it have to be? Frisk had suffered by his hand over and over and yet there was something inside her that was so stubborn that she wanted to help. Why help them? Why even care about a friendship with him? He hid behind a mask of sloth and vice trying to act like he never gave a damn about anything or anyone. The younger brother to the Head of the Royal Guard and nothing more. She worked so hard to be herself and smile in the face of seemingly impossible odds against those that wanted to kill her, himself included for a time. She was much braver than he ever came to realize. A bravery that had him reevaluating his own life. Those monitors he had been forced to see in that dark limbo only added to that feeling. He was going to be better for her. It was almost as if he wanted to prove that her journey and all her kindness was not wasted on a lost cause something he had labeled himself long ago. He did not understand it but he did know one thing. That the girl in his arms needed someone and he was going to be that someone if only for a while. He opened his mouth before closing it unsure of what someone would say in comfort, "Ya'll be a'ight dollface...Ah, know... it's hard... n... like ok ahdda said it was impossible n shit but you.. ya got summin ah can't place. Summin different. Ya staht'n ta give me hope again." He tilted her chin so that her cobalt gaze fell on him, "n dat's summin I ain't had n years."

Frisk did not know why she did it but he was the closest thing to comfort she could get other than Grillby. Sans was admittedly not the best guy considering what he had done in the past but she could see that change in him. The heart of someone that was doing the best they could being forced to live in a world their entire life like this one. At first, he was violent and cruel but it had shifted, sure he was still kind of a jerk but she saw more to him each day. The skeleton that was hiding, legitimately he had another room he kept secret. That was the Sans she wanted to know. The one that enjoyed the knowledge of science, liked playing video games, and most of all the stars. She did not absolve him of his sins as no one had that power and yet she wanted to believe that there was something different inside of him that she had been unable to see before. That's why she had done it. That is why now she buried her face into his chest feeling adrift in a sea of despair. She felt arms around her covering her in that jacket he wore so much as he tilted her chin up to look at him. Her eyes had been filled with tears but his words pulled at her. As did Grillby's words that began to float to the upper portion of her subconscious. . .

Frisk… don't let anyone put that light out within you that shines so brightly. Sure we monsters may be rude, uncaring, and dangerous but you are changing that. You are not giving yourself any credit my dear. Do you not see it? I was surprised when Sans brought you to me normally he would have taken care of you in a most unpleasant manner. I have known him for many years and yet I find him with you in tow at my bar. I must say that I was rather surprised. It may be unclear to you now my dear but you have a magic about you. A magic that is not replicated by any of us. It is unique to you do not ever lose sight of it.

She stayed there for a moment taking a shuddering breath through small sniffles. Her emotional state was at least beginning to calm as she kept her eyes on him. Did Sans actually have faith in her? Did he actually care? A blouse clad arm came to wipe at the tracks that had been made by her sorrow. His fingers were still slightly tilting her chin up to look at him lingering only for a moment before letting go. He even moved to loosened his hold on her if she wanted to pull away. Her voice came out more fragile than she would have liked, "Why...should I believe what you are saying, Sans? You flip flop so much I… It's hard for me to trust you." Her fingers found the soft knit of his sweater. She should run before she is once again betrayed and thrown to the wolves. That was not how her mind was processing anything right now, "Sans...why would you act like you...enjoyed being around me and then say that?" She was unsure if it was really a question or a statement on how much his previous actions had hurt her.

Sans never took his eyes off her whether it be while she was crying or as she spoke. It was obvious that she was going to question his motives as much as he said that she needed to trust him. He wouldn't trust himself after the stunt he just pulled. Instead of acting nonchalant or aloof he just sighed sadly, "Look I don't blame ya fer questionin ma integrity dollface. I ain't even askin fer ya ta forgive me. I just want ya ta know that what I said. It wasn't tha truth...see I thought by pushin ya away you'd be safer but uh. Guess I messed up that one too. Heh...even when I see ma errors can't even right em." How in the Underworld had he stayed this way? She was keeping it at bay. A miracle for all purposes as what he would call his… "condition" was incurable. He waited for her reaction blinking occasionally.

He knew that he was wrong? Did she hit her head again? This could not be true. All those tips to get in good graces with his brother and his attacks were proof. He was genuinely trying to help her. The question was why should she even give him the time of day? At first, she would have glared at him but she just couldn't only looking up at him with sad cobalt eyes. She was trying to understand why someone would hurt another to protect them. It made some sense but maybe that was just how he thought things through considering the other ideologies that had been the cornerstone of their society. Her eyes shifted away for a moment before falling on his red ones again. She could see it in his eyes that he was being genuine, "Sans I gave you one final chance and you crushed it. I don't know if I can…do that again." Her eyes drifted to the jacket-clad arms around her. His grip had tightened for a brief period before loosening, "I…" Her voice was so soft as she struggled to give this to him. Her trust. Her faith. It was not something she wanted to be crushed once more, "I believe you and I….I'm sorry Sans but I can't...I can't forgive you right now. I want to and I'm scared that the more I do the more you will take...advantage." Before she uttered those last worst she cast her gaze more to the collar around his neck then his actual eyes. She just could not look at him when she confessed.

His grip on her had tightened marginally before he realized what he was doing only to nod his head not saying a word. She had every right to say everything she was to him. He felt it deep in his soul as she spoke. The hard part was hearing her say that she was scared. There was a time in which he would have reveled in that idea but now he didn't want to scare her at all. He visibly flinched when she looked away from him and the words, taken advantage, slipped from her mildly trembling lips. That is exactly what he had done on multiple occasions but not now. He had to prove it somehow and even if she did not forgive him at least they were able to talk calmly. His arms released her, "I know."

Frisk stepped away just barely glancing at him before digging through her satchel. It would be best if she was not in her work uniform. She did not want to damage something that Grillby had held so close, "I need to change into something else. I will be right back. I promise." Her legs carried her into the Inn where Max sat looking over a book of some kind, "Frisk?" His mint colored ears had dropped indicating his surprise but also his concern, "Moms not here you need something?" The human girl nodded gently and smiled, "Yes please just a quick room to change and then I will be gone." The younger bun hopped off the stool he was sitting and gestured for her to follow him to a room. Her heart went out to the family and she wished she could have talked with Mae before leaving but time was of the essence. As soon as the door closed she removed all her work attire gently laying it in her satchel underneath all her other items before slipping on her signature red and black striped sweater. This time she undid the blue ribbon that had been in her hair and tied it inside the bag for safe keeping.

Max was bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet when she exited the room, "Hey Miss Frisk are you planning on going somewhere?" She stopped in front of him looking intensely at the door that would lead her out into the cold and inevitably a soon to commence battle, "To Waterfall." The mint furred rabbit monster had jumped up on the stool in the front leaning over the desk as best as he could. She could just hear his protests as she exited the Inn for the second time in which she spotted Sans leaning against a nearby wall. When she approached he came to meet her, "Alright. I am ready for this." The world fell away as her eyes fluttered closed before snapping back into focus, "No more running." Those words resonated in the core of her soul as she made her way toward a conflict she knew she would not be able to avoid. She must have surprised Sans because he came up to walk beside her almost checking if she was alright.

She glanced at his face for a moment before focusing on the path ahead, "what?" Her energy had shifted suddenly. As soon as she knew what needed to be done she set forward. His response was to shrug with a small smile. Boss was going to be a challenge but she was considering that maybe she had approached him in the wrong way. He was out for blood immediately very much like his younger brother had been. Sans was right. If she got on his good side and impressed him maybe his own ego would keep her alive. All she could do was try as she neared where the fog began to roll over the landscape. Of course Sans had disappeared from her side as having Boss see her with him would be concerning and put them both at risk. Alright, take 3. This time the fight would be real. She could feel that same strange mode pulling at her soul.

 ***THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS BLOCKS YOUR WAY!***

 ***BOSS- HP 850 ATK 30 DEF 20***

 ***Head of the Royal Guard, master of torture, bringing of suffering, bodyguard to the King, expert tactician, amazing chef, powerful adversary…. {The description continues to be added on and on….}***

Frisk had her eyes set on the ax blade that came right at her as she jumped and rolled to the side sliding to get back up on her feet. It looked like Boss was not all that talkative this time around. As the human evaded his attack he raised his hand summoning a line of jagged bones erupting from the ground like sharpened geysers. Their pointed tips were directed at her as the line of bones shot toward her position at high speed. As one shot up then the rest that followed would recede into the earth once more. It was near identical to one of the perils that she had encountered in the forest. It explained who had set all those traps that was for sure.

The attack he had directed at her seemed to have a kind of pattern. If she timed it just right should be able to evade the attack while also moving closer. She needed to do so to initiate some form of conversation. She just prayed that she was not going to be shish kabobed because of it. A running start had her speeding straight toward the attack taking careful and slow breaths before jumping just as the last attack erupted from the ground and landing just where the last attack receded. OH, stars she made it somehow . That was TERRIFYING! The idea of talking to Boss was much more daunting than it was with Sans but she had to try, "S...so you are Papyrus right? I...I've heard a lot about you."

 ***Boss is watching you intently in confusion. Are you talking to him?***

Boss could not believe his eye sockets. He was so dumbstruck by the move that he accidentally spoke out loud, "NYEH?! YOU IMBECILE! THAT WAS A REAL ATTACK!" He could feel his eye socket switching before looking away to regain his composure raising his voice after it returned, "None the less... YOU HAVE SURVIVED SO I WILL GIVE YOU AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION HUMAN." Papyrus raised a brow bone as Frisk managed to once again evade another of his attacks by taking the suicidal action of running headfirst at it, "YOU WOULD BE CORRECT HUMAN I AM THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS! CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD! THAT WAS A RATHER IMPRESSIVE TACTIC TO EVADE MY ATTACK...BUT LET US SEE YOU SLIP PAST THIS!" He swiped his ax causing several bones to materialize in its wake firing on the poor girl in rapid succession.

Frisk had to hit the ground getting a face full of snow in the process as the projectiles just grazed the top of her head only rolling to the side immediately when another set of bone-like projectiles embedded into the snow one after the other. The last one just grazed her cheek causing a thin line of blood to emerge from that porcelain skin. That was all too close . Her arm came up to wipe at the wound. It stung but she was still very much alive, "W...well of course I mean. I wouldn't expect anything less from the terrifying head of the Royal Guard you have a statue and everything!" Sans had mentioned his brother's ego though she was not lying about anything she was saying. If it did not look suspicious praising the elder brother on his cooking then she would have been adding that as well. It was almost like she was… flirting .

 ***Boss is unphased by your flattery but is slowly gaining more respect for you***

Papyrus paused his onslaught only to take the humans praise in stride. One of his nonoccupied hands was placed on his puffed out ribcage in pride, "BUT OF COURSE! HOWEVER THOSE WERE SIMPLE ATTACKS AND YOUR FLATTERY, NO MATTER HOW TRUE, WILL NOT SAVE YOU FROM YOUR IMMINENT DEMISE! NYEHEHEHE!" He sent another wave of ground bones her direction as a distraction before following with a well-placed swipe of his melee weapon cutting the air with a distinct slice.

Capture, capture was promising. At least he was not going to cut her into two pieces. SPOKE TOO SOON! She scrambled up just narrowly dodging another round of ground bones attempting the same action as before this time as the blade swung in a wide arch. In mid-air, she managed to land directly on the broadside of the blade before jumping and soaring over him now ducking her head and rolling away from another swing of the in stars did she just do that?! At this point in time she was not complaining about the sudden ability increase, "W...well, of course, you are used to the flattery, OH STARS!" She had not realized as the adrenaline coursed through her system that one of the prior bone attacks had sliced through her upper arm. It stung but this fight was far from over.

 ***Papyrus is impressed by your skilled evasion***

He was quick to face her again seemingly keen on not leaving his back open to her as he twirled his weapon before resting the end of it in the snow. His actions not only showing his dexterity with the blade but also ending in an almost photogenic pose as his tattered scarf caught a faint breeze. He gave her a smirk as he noticed that she had taken damage from one of his previous attacks. It only added to his image "HUMMM… BUT OF COURSE! ONE WITH SUCH PRESTIGE SUCH AS MYSELF WOULD GARNER SUCH ATTENTION! I WILL ADMIT HOWEVER THAT I WAS EXPECTING TO SEE YOU MUCH SOONER. WHEN I CHECKED THE GAUNTLET OF DEADLY DOOM YOU WERE NOWHERE TO BE SEEN AND SANS HAD FAILED TO CAPTURE YOU AS WELL. THE DOGS HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND YOU EITHER. YOU ARE QUITE THE SLIPPERY SNAIL." He paused in his speech to send another line of bones at her. These were different as they glowed with a vibrant light blue magic, unlike the previous red and orange.

Frisk stared at him and how prestigious he was. The spitting image of the statue she has seen in town. She gripped her arm tightly painting her hands with her own blood as she attempted to take a deep breath. Boss was beyond formidable, "I...well I just narrowly escaped such a terrifying and well-crafted trap. Oh S...Sans? Well umm, I don't remember anyone by that name." She might as well have had liar plastered to her forehead in neon lights. The bones that were now being thrown at her were no longer red or orange in color but rather bones that were colored a bright WAS BLUE!? Sans had mentioned orange attacks but not blue ones. What was she supposed to do? She froze in panic.

Boss narrowed his eye socket with ruby pinpricks blazing as she lied. She was incredibly bad at deception and he could tell. Just what had that lazybones gotten into? Well...he already knew the answer to that. He had his evidence but he had a feeling it was deeper than he initially thought. His brother did things with purpose, not for recreation. The blue bones that hurtled toward her passed right through her as she froze. His crimson gaze was locked on hers as he analyzed her reaction to the attack. She seemed shocked as if she were expecting a different outcome, "IS THAT SO? I SUSPECT YOU ARE LYING TO ME HUMAN…" A row of several orange bones materialized over his shoulder and launched at frisk like missiles.

 ***Papyrus is not amused by your obvious deception***

It was true she was a terrible liar and Boss saw right through it. She honestly should never have acknowledged Sans at all. Either way, she was starting to fatigue as the cold air burned her lungs. She could see her exertion one tired pant at a time feeling the condensation on her face as her breathing mixed with the light fog. It was beginning to roll in again disrupting her visibility. Not good . That bright orange glow had her jumping back and forth. Ok, orange she knew she had to move otherwise she was going to be pinned. She just hopped back and forth making sure not to exert too much energy. She was in desperate need of a break that's when she remembered her provisions. Her satchel was with her now she might actually survive this as the bones met her fidgeting form she dug in to find her bag of gummy monsters. She ripped open the seal and began to chew on the brightly candy covered whimsuns and froggits. It was minimal but at least she felt a little better. If only she had an actual substantial meal. The bag was crumbled up and shoved back into the satchel before she pulled out something she had never seen before. It was a kit labeled, College Food Plan. Ok weird. Mae must have slipped the item in her satchel a long time ago or maybe even... Sans? No that most certainly was not right. She ran back and forth dodging various things as she opened the kit to find it contained all the things she needed to make a bowl of instant noodles including the cookware.

Boss kept up the attacks from before only pausing to regather his magic. The human seemed to be a skilled fighter. Well, skilled at running and evading his attacks anyway. How did they know how to avoid his special attacks? That didn't matter. He hadn't used his secret attack yet. Surely the human couldn't get out of that! As he paused he saw the human rummaging through their pack. The small intermission had the skeleton once again raising his brow bone in question. Just what were they doing now?

Frisk had no idea what compelled her to do it, "C...Can we take a five-minute break?" She ended up sitting on the ground and making a little fire. She placed the little pot on top and began to make her mini meal. It would take about five minutes or so. All she wanted was a little bit of food. Meanwhile, Sans as a spectator just slapped his skeletal palm against his forehead with a loud smack. What was she even thinking?! Papyrus was not just going to wait for her to have a meal. Now he was regretting his decision to... wait what ? Was his brother seriously standing there leaning against his weapon with arms crossed waiting for her to finish? This kid... was ridiculous almost ludicrous but his brother respected her enough to wait. He just stood there dumbstruck with his shark-toothed jaw nearly hanging open in surprise.

 ***The Great and Terrible Papyrus is respectfully waiting***

Boss decided to let the human have their little break and embedded his hybrid weapon into the ground and lingered. It was almost pathetic. Were those...instant noodles? Like the ones Alphys always ate? How had the human gotten their hands on those? He drummed his fingers on his arm as he waited. Perhaps after capturing the human, he should get himself something to eat, but most definitely not instant noodles. He was not going to eat something so bland even if the human currently seemed to enjoy them somewhat. Once the noodles were finished and the small fire was quenched he lifted his weapon once again ready to continue the battle, "DID YOU ENJOY YOUR MEAL BECAUSE IT WILL BE THE LAST ONE YOU WILL HAVE BEFORE YOU PASTA AWAY! NYHEHE!"

Frisk finished up her meal enjoying what little flavor it had before looking up at Papyrus. He was actually going to let her take a break? That was nice of him. She had a weird feeling that Papyrus was not as bloodthirsty as she initially thought even though he kept mentioning he was going to kill her and unknown to him he had already. He was strong and intimidating of course but she felt no ill will almost as if this was just something that had to be done. It was not like he was a bloodthirsty killer. She could also tell that he enjoyed the thrill of combat. When she was finished she gently kicked some snow on the fire putting it out. She nodded gently, "I suppose. That was nothing close to the culinary marvel of a lasagna I ate back in the forest." Whoops ... so much for not praising his cooking. A pun. Did he just make a pun? It was probably a horrible idea but she chuckled lightly at the joke.

He gave her an incredulous look. His cooking in the forest? The only bit of his food that ever went to the forest was what he made sure Sans had for lunch. She had either stolen it or Sans had given it to her. That only meant that one or both of them were lying to him. It was most likely a combination of both, "ENOUGH TALKING HUMAN. YOU'RE SLIPPING AWAY AND APPARENT THEFT ENDS NOW!" He sent alternating attacks of orange and blue bones without hesitation before sneakily slipping in a low normal bone attack behind in which he attempted to trip them up. It was a solid plan even if that tactic was a little dirty.

It was too much. She moved when she shouldn't attempt to dodge the orange attacks causing the blue attacks to hit her and to top it off the low bone attack also hit its mark as she fell forward. The cold hit her in shock as she tried to move her now bone impaled limbs. The magic dissipated but the damage was done. There was nowhere left for her to go as she dropped to the ground. She was done. Finished. It was a valiant effort. All the skeleton had to do was bring his blade down and she would have to go through the whole thing again. She shut her eyes waiting for that inevitable blow that would send her back into that dark void in which she found herself after every single death. The sound of the air being sliced was all she could focus on only to hear a shout. She held up her hands on instinct. Nothing happened. Her eyes slowly cracked open to find someone standing in front of her. What she saw shocked her to the point that she was speechless.

 **Sans?**

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛** **14** **t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

End of Entry...


	26. The Torture Room?

Summary:

Frisk is startled to find that something or rather someone blocked Boss' attack. What is she supposed to do now? She is once again subjected to being a prisoner but able to traverse the main house no longer confined to the secret room. Papyrus has spared her for reasons unknown but how long will such a truce last? What is the Captain of the notorious Royal Guard hiding?

{DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains NOTHING bad whatsoever just fluff. Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

* * *

 **Welcome to the Underworld** **  
**{Log 2: Snowdin

Entry 14: The Torture Room?}

He watched the entire confrontation. One attack after the other she dodged never once switching to offense. She was always on the defense even when she was wounded. His brother never let up only confused at the point in which she made herself a thing of instant noodles. He was glad he made the last minute decision to throw those in there. Papyrus was so confused that he just waited and watched the strange human eat in peace. The battle continued with the same motif. His brother would provide a combo or singular attacks while she dodged and tried to strike up a conversation in which Papyrus would take the compliments and praise with pride. He could see his respect for her growing even if it was not abundantly clear.

When she hit the ground he felt himself take a step forward before he ended up standing in the direct path of his brother's weapon. He used his magic just in time to halt his swing starting to sweat from the exertion in crimson drops, "H...Hey, Boss wait ya wanna kill tha kid?" His hands were up as his brother yanked back raising an eye socket at him with his mouth pulled into a tight jagged line. All he could do was wait and watch every nuance in his brother's reactions, "B...Boss?"

*Papyrus is hesitant.

Papyrus closed his eye sockets letting the blade rest in the snow as he leaned on it staring at his brother, "Sans… What are you saying? Are you suggesting that I imprison the human?" He crossed his arms across his chest and kept his brow bone raised expectantly staring down his brother with his menacing stature, "The human is to be taken to the Capital to have their soul extracted dead or alive it does not matter though I must admit their skill, though far inferior to my own, is quite intriguing." The lanky skeleton almost cracked a small smile, "I always appreciate a challenge."

Sans turned his head to glance over his shoulder at the human laying in the snow at his feet. It was only a split second as he turned his attention back to brother, "Uh...well yeah I know that but uh…wouldn it be betta if we kept the human fer a bit? Yanno as leverage err somethin. Kid's pretty powerful could use em ta get Undyne then take em ta the king ya know?" He honestly had no idea what he was saying at this point. It was rambling that had no purpose but he was doing his best. He could see the gears in Papyrus' skull were turning as he let fall his poor excuse of a convincing argument. It was a rather impressive feat but Frisk had managed to leave a positive impression in the seemingly ruthless Captain.

The elder of the two continued to lean against his weapon scratching large red gloved fingertips under his chin in thought. He was looking off to the side with eye lights dimming to a soft glow rather than their blazing crimson. She could have sworn the red color flickered to white for a moment before it was gone, "Hmmm perhaps you are correct brother! It is much too pitiful of a creature to kill anyway. Very well we shall capture the human and use their ability to vanquish that treacherous fish once and for all. Then we shall bring them to King Asgore... but you are taking care of it until I deem otherwise." He turned to look at Frisk, "So human be grateful for my brother and I's mercy!" His eyes were locked with hers as he swung his ax over his shoulder to rest it against his collarbone once more, "Sans grab the human." He began to walk right past the two in the direction of the house.

*You have been captured by THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE PAPYRUS!

*and Sans

*You won?

*You earned 0 EXP and - gold

It worked? He was shocked that his incoherent rambling slew of excuses actually worked. That was not like Pap at all. His older brother would have demanded a deeper explanation to his logic but nope there he went scarf blowing dramatically in the flurry that surrounded the group. He looked down at Frisk wiping his forehead of the nervous sweat that had started to form there. She was so wide-eyed that he was afraid his sudden actions had broken her. Not even a moment passed before he called out to his brother, "Sure thing Boss!" He actually snapped his fingers in front of her face to try and pull her back to this plane of existence, "Good job there kiddo. Ya alright?" A pair of bony hands came to gently help the poor girl up. She still was looking at him in disbelief, "Wha? Somethin on ma face er somethin?" His grip on her was gentle as he could not let her roam free only to jump in surprise when his brothers commanding voice flew over the snow smacking into his nonexistent eardrums, SAAAAAAAAANS!" No time like the present as he walked her to the house as gingerly as possible this time through the front door. She was badly beaten up but that was something a warm magical meal would fix, "C...comin Boss!"

Now she was a true "prisoner" within the skeletons home as Sans nudged her to take off her boots. She ended up gasping for a moment staring upward at Papyrus as she nearly bumped into the skeleton, "At least the human has manners!" She could not help the gulp as she set her boots down gently next to the two other sets. The first one was Sans with its fluffy trim and golden embroidery. The second set sandwiching her own footwear was Boss' over the top embellished boots. One of them had fallen over only for her to see 'Boss' painted on the bottom of the sole in red. It was wearing thin but it was clearly there. Did he do that himself? What a dork. She timidly replied, "I think it's important to keep a clean house and it is a courtesy." Papyrus looked remarkably impressed by the comment gaining her a, "Well you have good taste human, unlike my lazy brother." He eyed Sans with a mild glare. It did not seem threatening or even mocking. It had a hint of playful annoyance in it more like that of a joke.

Sans just shrugged in response before he came to stand beside Papyrus with his hands now finding their way into the pockets of his shorts since he had removed his jacket when he walked in. It was Papyrus that spoke up first, "You see human you are quite lucky I have decided to spare you but of course, where are my own manners. This is my brother Sans you two have not quite met from what you said earlier." The way he spoke made her feel like he knew what she had said was a lie but she just nodded as Sans raised one of his hands with a toothy grin, "Yo." He had his arms folded across his chest, "You, human are free to move about as you please...for now... while I discuss something with my brother. . . Sans." He had the look about him that meant that the smaller of the two was potentially in big trouble.

The skeletons left her in the living area in which she had never once seen before. It had the same carpeting from the upstairs as it spanned the entire floor. A black plush couch in an L shape was situated directly in front of a plasma tv screen to the left. Papyrus or Boss, she was not exactly sure as to which name she should use, kept the house spotless. A large round coffee table sat in front of the couch with a few things set atop its glass surface. There were a few books, a newspaper of sorts, and a blueprint to what she assumed were the traps laid out in the depths of Snowdin Forest. A little teacup sat on one corner of the plans and wafted with a nice warm steam. There were no pictures on the walls or any ties to a family not like the upstairs hallway. She supposed the choice made sense if you were trying to hide certain things about yourself in a cruel society like this one. There were a couple of video game boxes and jewel cases layout around in which some sticky notes were attached to their glossy faces.

 **SANS PICK UP THESE FRIVOLOUS ITEMS IMMEDIATELY**

Yeah, sure Boss

 **SANS I AM SERIOUS PUT THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE**

Alright

 **SANS! I WANT THEM GONE NOW!** **  
** **SERIOUSLY SANS! PICK IT UP!**

kay boss.

 **SANS DON'T JUST PUT THEM IN A PILE!**

Done.

 **SANS. YOU PUT THEM BACK TO HOW THEY WERE BEFORE. TO DISPLAY MY DISPLEASURE**

The text moves onto another connected note

 **I HAVE INCLUDED A DEPICTION OF MY DISPLEASURE**

Connected to the second note was the third note with a nicely drawn picture of an annoyed boss with googly eyes.

 **SANS DON"T ADD GOOGLY EYES TO MY PICTURE OF INTIMIDATION!**

Alright, Alright sheesh.

If she had not encountered both of them in rather unpleasant ways in the beginning then she would have just thought of them as two dorky brothers. It was clear that the two were really just completely ridiculous when it came to their personal spaces. She took a seat on the edge of the couch waiting for the two to return only to lay down and stare at the ceiling. The events that had happened before still had her reeling from it all. She gently turned to her side piecing together everything. Boss was just about to end her with one fell swoop of his ax but Sans had stepped in front making up excuses, and not good ones at that. He had even stopped the attack in mid-swing. How much more could he prove himself after that? His decision to save her was unprompted and he could have been killed himself. Her eyes fell closed as she placed her hands over her face. How could she not believe him now? The answer was painfully obvious despite her reluctance. She sighed softly cursing herself for giving him yet another chance.

Sans looked up at Boss as he was pulled off to the side away from Frisk only to hear his brothers intimidating voice interrogating him, "Sans explain yourself." If he looked directly at Papyrus then he would have slipped. He just could not lie well to his brother. The elder knew this and grabbed the skeleton by the fabric of his ruby turtleneck sweater so they matched height. The younger looked like he was becoming a turtle as the fabric pulled up around his skull nearly hiding his face, "W...what do ya mean Pap?" Papyrus did not look amused as he leaned in closer, "You have met the human before. You were protecting the human. You do not think this warrants an explanation?" His eye sockets were narrowed dangerously.

Boss huffed in frustration as he awaited his brothers assumed to be inadequate excuse only to receive the opposite, "Pap. Look tha kids harmless like a little snow bunny. She ain't gonna hurt anyone trust me I tried ta get her ta attack but she's like a little-declawed kitten. We can't take er ta Asgore she won't have a chance." Sans laid it all out on the table not to mention how he actually felt about the human. The sudden confession forced his brother's eye sockets to widen before raising in confusion, "Sans are you telling me that this entire time you have been with the human? That you lied to me, brother?" At this point, he placed a gloved hand over his tired face before setting his younger brother to his feet. He was slumped over using the wall directly beside him to steady himself.

When he was gently set on the ground he looked away not happy that he would have to admit his deception, "I was afraid ya cut tha kid in two Pap. Call tha Guard. I didn want ta get ya involved. Kids been with me since comin inta town. Look, bro, I think ya should giver a chance. Just try." Papyrus removed his hand from his face revealing a frown, "YOU TRUSTED THIS HUMAN OVER YOUR OWN BROTHER!?" Sans had to calm him down and fast but he did not know how to. His hands shot up defensively as he took a step back, "Pap ya know I trust ya but yer head of tha Guard! Can't have ya be a fugitive." The sockets that were locked on his relaxed before they downturned giving marring the olders face with a kind of disappointment, "Am I such a poor brother that you do not wish to be straight with me. That you deliberately keep things from me? Lie and deceive me?" Sans could see that he was clenching his fist tightly causing the leather of his gloves to give off a small sound, "I WILL DETERMINE THIS CREATURES MISERABLE WORTH FOR MYSELF. IF THEY ARE USEFUL THEN I MAY RECONSIDER MY OPTIONS." The younger turned his head down toward his own sock clad skeletal feet, "G...got it, Boss."

Frisk heard the shouting and she knew it had to be on the topic of her. She was still dumbfounded by the fact she was still breathing. Her thoughts were much too brutally honest. The more she heard the conflict the more her conviction grew. Just as Boss had set down his brother and Sans was looking down she walked up to the two. She stood her ground and looked straight at both of them without a hint of fear or hesitation, "I have not been here long and I still don't understand this world but no one can truly bury their feelings. Not even you two. Boss, I know you care about Sans just as much as he, does you. You are brothers. That's why he never told you about me. It would ruin your reputation and Sans knows how important it is to you. Don't yell at him, please. If you want to be angry with someone blame me." Sans gave her a look that could have been classified as ARE YOU INSANE!? His left eye socket began to twitch as his brother towered above the small girl shrouding her in his shadow before squatting down to match her eye level voice steady, "And why is it that you care human? We are but monsters to you as you are a human to us. Your kindness will not save you here." He grumbled before looking away, "The only reason you are here is because of Sans and that I feel you have potential. I still don't know what to do with you." She smiled sadly, "I know and I understand."

Papyrus could not believe what he was witnessing as his crimson gaze fell on her again. He said nothing at first straightening and clearing his throat very similar to the way Sans had in the past, "Sans I think the human is broken. It insists that it cares for our well being. I do not understand it." Sans started to chuckle, "Like I said bro lika kitten." Papyrus raised a brow bone, "And does the kitten eat?" Sans raised a brow bone that mirrored his older brother, "Well yeah Pap course she eats." It was such an awkward conversation with the two talking back and forth between themselves as if she was not even present, "VERY WELL HUMAN YOU ARE ABOUT TO CONSUME SOMETHING SO INDESCRIBABLE PREPARED BY I THE GREAT PAPYRUS! NYEHEHEHE!" He stalked off leaving her with Sans in the meantime.

They both exchanged glances as pots and pans could be heard clattering in the kitchen off to the right, "Sans…" He turned to look at her once again stuck in that nonchalant posture with his hands resting lazily in his pockets, "Yeah kitten?" Her hand came to rest on his arm gently, "You…protected me. I… I'm sorry about what I said before. I didn't think that you could ever prove what you were saying and I." He made her pause as he placed a hand on her cheek, "Ya don't gotta explain." His hand lingered for a brief moment before pulling away, "Ya got Pap ta like ya." She was confused and surprised, "R...Really? I didn't think that I really made an impression." The skeleton only shook his head as a small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth, "Trust me dollface he likes ya. Yer here ain'tcha?"

She nodded gently at his response. That's right she was here still and very much alive though she was a little frightened by what his brother might have in store for her. It was already pretty late but they acted as if it was the middle of the day. A perk to being a monster she supposed. She was in a cozy home where she felt like she could just relax. Not to mention the promise of a home cooked meal made by Boss was causing her mouth to water. He truly had a talent. It was something she wished others knew about him but not now. She was their "prisoner" as Papyrus had mentioned before as her attention stayed on the skeleton next to her, Sans. He was just standing there with his eye sockets half closed and a lazy grin. It was so unlike him especially when he moved to rest on the couch putting his feet up on the coffee table. She just stood there for a moment before he patted the space next to him. As usual, she took the offer but only to realize that he scooted a little further away to give her space. What was he doing?

This was so jarring to her that she spoke up, "Sans what are you doing?" He had his eye sockets closed with the back of his skull resting on his arms. It was just a simple relaxed posture. It was weird other than their little gaming session she had never seen him more relaxed maybe her finally confronting Papyrus had eased his worries somewhat. He only cracked on eye socket open to look at her. He gave her a questioning look as if he was confused by her sudden question, "What da ya mean what am I doin? I'm relaxin." The sound of Boss' voice from the kitchen startled the two, "SANS IF I FIND YOUR FEET ON THAT TABLE!" The younger grumbled before removing carnation colored socks from the glass surface.

The whole situation made her chuckle softly if only moments like this would last. If only she would have more of them in her future. She kept her eyes closed before suddenly feeling a light flick on her forehead only to end up face to face with a chuckling Sans. At first, her heart nearly stopped he still kind of scared her. She had to blink a few times to clear the astonishment from her face, "Whatcha chucklin at huh?" She smiled softly, "You are such a dork." The comment must have confused him because the little lights within his eyes flickered for a moment. He pulled back and shook his head, "I ain't a dork." So he said, but the two brothers really were just silly siblings in her eyes. It was all because she had the opportunity to know them. The real them and the more she saw, the more potential good came to the surface. Things had changed in such a short time, though time was irrelevant here.

She pulled back from him just sitting quietly until Papyrus shouted once more from the kitchen, "SANS IT IS TIME TO EAT AND BRING THE PRISONER!" Sans just glanced her direction but there was really no need for him to grab her especially since she just got up on her own. He still worried about what his brother was planning to do with her. His brother would not kill her outright but that also left other more unsavory options. The more he thought about it the more it concerned him but why did he even care so much in the first place? His continual denial of just treating her like a human and nothing more was chipping away slowly. He already told her that he didn't mean to hurt her. The skeleton was not exactly living up to his ruthless reputation anymore and he knew why. Even Papyrus seemed more mellow like her kindness and her very being soothed their inner demons.

He stayed behind to watch her walk into the kitchen where Papyrus had prepared his usual lasagna setting one plate down for Sans before raising a brow bone at her. As the other brother took a seat Boss continued to glare at her before turning his attention on his brother, "SANS DO YOU NOT THINK IT WISE TO CHAIN THE HUMAN? THEY ARE NOT A GUEST...THEY ARE OUR PRISONER." The more menacing of the two flicked his eyes back toward Frisk who was starting to realize that Papyrus had no intention of setting her free. Fantastic . The next words that came from his skeletal mouth made her tense, "JUST THROW THEM INTO MY TORTURE ROOM BUT DON'T FORGET TO FEED IT." The way he looked at her when he said the words aloud but slow and with a hint of a smirk on his face. It made her gulp.

Frisk could feel the color draining from her face as those wicked crimson slit-like eyes nearly blazed in a kind of triumphant mirth at her …. stars. Boss was more terrifying than his younger brother and that was saying something. Papyrus had a torture room?! Of course, he did and she was about to be thrown into it. That cozy warm feeling she once had was replaced by an icy chill that traveled along her spine and then back down again. Sans had been halfway through eating before he just froze, "But uh bro...dont think that's really-" Boss turned his head to stare down at his brother, "YOU WHAT BROTHER? ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT THIS HUMAN AND WHAT I MAY DO TO IT?" He had to play it off but even he knew he was a horrible liar even more so than Frisk, "Nah bro I don't care what ya do with it but uh...think it's a little over kill ." Boss' eye socket twitched at the pun. He looked like he was going to explode before he grabbed a hold of Frisk's arm tightly.

She winced at the action as he forcefully dragged her to a section of the kitchen where the flooring opened upward to leave her standing at the edge of a staircase. One that receded into the ever creeping darkness. It slunk across the floorboards only giving her a few steps of visibility. Oh, this was terrifying. She did not want to go down there but Boss was insisting with a forceful jerk of her arm. She was afraid he was going to rip it from its socket with how harsh he was being. The planks creaked and groaned as they descended deeper and deeper into the darkness only to stop. She was unable to see anything but she could still feel it. The cold kiss of icy metal being snapped around her neck, wrists, and ankles. She was now entirely in chains. Her eyes darted back and forth with blue wavering in seas of white.

Once the only light source from above fell closed the lighting began to illuminate the space. They were sconces that flickered with a brightly colored orange and yellow flame. A flame that began to show her exactly what she was dealing with. The walls reminded her more of rock than brick and darkness appeared to penetrate every corner not touched by light. That was the least of her worries. As instruments of torture gleamed wickedly on every wall. He….he was going to use these on her!? She felt suddenly weak only to end up being shoved against one of the walls crumbled at its base. Boss was tall enough as is but with her sitting he was like a giant. Now she knew why he was called the Great and Terrible.

The distinct sound of a lock could be heard as he leaned down to shorten the distance between the two dangling the key to her salvation in front of her with a smirk, "MY BROTHER SEEMS TO THINK THAT YOU HAVE SOME VALUE...WE SHALL SEE. GET COMFORTABLE HUMAN. I WILL HAVE SANS BRING YOU SOMETHING TO EAT LATER." What was she supposed to say? What was she supposed to do? The skeleton just straightened before ascending the steps leaving her in a hellish nightmare dungeon. After the door shut she could hear voices upstairs only for it to suddenly vanish leaving her all alone.

The fires flickered for a while as they reflected back their malevolent flames in the metal lining the walls. It was like a medieval dungeon. So much for a happy ending . What was she thinking? Just when she thought things were alright this happened. If this place lived up to its namesake her lifeblood would soon be decorating the devices littering the stone. As time passed on she moved to curl her legs up into her chest resting her chin on them. She was cold, tired, and worst of all she could feel the darkness closing in. The flames began to die as the room she now sat filled with shadows. No . Her worst fears rose to the surface leaving her wide-eyed and shaking.

That isolation she had once felt began to consume her mind the darker the space became. Each second left her breathing labored and short. All she could do was place her hands on the cold stone as it began to surround her. No. No, please. She gripped her head tightly rocking back and forth unable to hold herself together. Her hands were shaking as she shook her head more violently than before screwing her eyes shut to block it all out, "N...no please...no…" Her shuddering form pulled in tighter as if she was trying to will herself to disappear. She couldn't breathe as she hyperventilated cowering in the darkness begging and pleading both internally and externally in small pathetic whimpers. Not another attack. The last one she had was with Sans when he grabbed her. This one was new though all the more violent.

All she could hear was the ringing of chains in her ears and the sound of creaking floorboards forced her to press firmly against the wall. The cold bit into her back but it was better than having Boss press some of those wicked instruments against her pale skin. She looked pathetic as she coward for her life half aware of the outside world and half stuck within the horror-laden maze of her own subconscious. She just barely heard her name as she shook her head with her entire body convulsing in dread. A skeletal hand caught her wrist only to feel the same weight on her opposite shoulder. They were trying to pull her away as her eyes flew open her whole body drenched in sweat from the distress.

His eyes glowed vibrantly in his sockets down here in the darkness in contrast to the lighting upstairs as she looked up at him. Well, more like through him. That horror had its claws deeply embedded in her as he tried to calm her down. It was Sans who Boss had promised would bring her something to eat. She kept hearing him saying her name but it was almost as if her eardrums had been subjected to a kind of concussive blast. It was muffled, distant, and felt like she was going to be sick. Her breathing was still erratic, "I told Pap not ta bring ya down here. Know how ya get in tha dark." What did he say? A few moments of the same reaction until she finally came to her senses speaking with trembling lips, "S...S…Sans?" Not exactly aware of what she was doing she tightly gripped onto the sleeve of his sweater still quaking from the mental Hell she had been subjected to.

She heard the soft clatter of a plate followed by the sound of chains falling to the cold stone around her. The noise reverberated against the walls causing her to grip his sleeve a little tighter. As the attack faded so did her energy not realizing just how tired she was. She did not want to sleep down here but there was little doubt in her mind that Boss would abandon her here. The only break she received was when Sans came to bring her something and he too would soon leave her alone. Wow, she never thought she would think that his presence was comforting. There really was something wrong with her. She could tell on his face that he did not want to just leave her there as he pulled away to stand, "Make sure ya eat dollface." Her sour stomach was keeping her from replenishing her energy only watching with lonely blue eyes as he once again disappeared upstairs.

Her eyes shifted to the plate of hot lasagna that sat in front of her and nearly cursing as her stomach gave away her need for food. She shifted to pick up the plate and eat her meal in silence. It was just as delicious as she remembered but not even the indescribable flavor could cheer her up. Once she was finished she set the plate off to the side only to curl up once more in an attempt to stay warm. Her jailer, take two, had essentially thrown her into their basement dungeon. It was freezing to the point that just a few degrees cooler and she would see her breath. She expected that she would not see Boss for a long while. She abruptly heard the distinct clatter of a mechanism moving.

At first, she assumed it was Sans sent to clean up dishes but when she saw those distinct boots making their way down the steps she froze. It was Boss who for all intensive purposes was walking her direction. There was one shackle still attached to her and that was the one around her neck. The same one he used to pull her by as he leaned down to snake his skeletal fingers through the shackle hooking his finger over the cold metal. She went from a cold wall to a cold table as her wrists were strapped down. Her eyes were wide as she shook trying to break free of its hold. What was he going to do to her?

She couldn't move her neck to see what the elder skeleton was doing but she heard the clang of metal upon metal as she attempted to. Her heart was racing as she struggled as much as she could. Her head was spinning slowly slipping back into a rerun of one of her first deaths. That ear bleeding sound of metal scraping against itself to sharpen the blade. A soft hum and a numbness that infected her limbs leaving her helpless. A spectator left to watch instruments of simple food preparation cut through her physical form. It was a macabre and horrifying deja vu.

The Captain returned only for her to realize something she had not before. He was no longer dressed in his armor and scarf combo. It was actually just casual clothing, well for him maybe. It looked rather fancy to her. It had to be more comfortable then what he was wearing before. He had on a white long sleeve button up shirt that had been rolled to his elbows and held back with a simple strip of fabric. At least she thought it was all white but it was apparently just the sleeves as the rest of the garment was a deep charcoal color. He wore one of those old fashion cravats like that of what a Victorian gentleman would wear that was deep ruby in color. Over the top was his vest that was a mahogany leather with charcoal side panels on both sides. A set of belting just followed the curve of his shoulder and silver buttons held the vest closed. They had little engravings of the delta rune on them. He sure was a snappy dresser. Last but not least he wore a pair of black slacks with white pinstripes running the length of his long legs. He kind of looked like a mobster. All he needed was the stereotypical fedora.

The closer he got to her face the more she tried to pull back with little success. She could see the deep claw-like scars that ran the length of his eye socket. The observation showed just how deep they actually were and how jagged as if the attacker dug in and took its time making such horrible marks. He had the same crimson discoloration under his eye sockets but it was not as vibrant as his brothers. The skeleton made no move to hurt her but rather just examined her kind of like what she was doing with him. He looked tired not as much as Sans granted but fatigued nonetheless. His voice was lower than she was used to as he spoke in a normal tone, "What did you do to my brother human?" She blinked a few times almost not understanding the question, "W...what? I….I didn't do anything."

He slammed his skeletal palm down forcefully next to her head causing her to wince out of fear alone. When his bone came in contact with the metal it made an ear-splitting scrape. Her eyes followed along his ulna and radius noticing distinct scars and lacerations littering the bone. He was leaning closer to her now to the point that all she did was stare into the deep onyx pits that made up his sockets. Ones that housed that bright ruby pupil. His voice was intimidatingly steady followed by a growl, "Tell me what you did to my brother." The poor human girl just shook her head shuddering, "N...nothing p...please I swear." Her throat was tight as she tried to gain some space between her and Boss.

Papyrus pulled back tapping his phalanges right next to her head. She shut her eyes taking a labored breath, "My brother is not one to go out of his way for anything...or anyone. You had him keeping you from me. He protected you… YOU MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING! HE WOULD NEVER KEEP SOMETHING SO MONUMENTALLY IMPORTANT FROM ME!" Frisk just stared at him wide-eyed slowly shaking her head, "No...I Papyrus I promise. I just… spoke to him. That's all." She could hear him flexing his fingers as she spoke as if he was going to tear her to pieces with them in due time. He looked like he wanted to but he also looked hurt with those crimson eyes wavering and dulling in color. The red faded away leaving a vibrant white and as the color faded so too did his anger. He stood straight placing a hand over his face.

He looked so distressed as he nearly dug his fingers into his eye sockets gripping his face tightly shielding it from her. The only sound within the entirety of the damp dungeon-like room was that ever constant dripping noise. It just seemed to grow in volume until a pained voice cut through the monotony, "Why does he open up to you...and...not me?" Wait had Papyrus said that? He clearly did seeing as how his once tense posture was more relaxed removing this palm from his face, "You are just a human." That was why he was so upset? He was upset because Sans had kept her presence from him and continuously bent the truth to do it, "Papyrus?" She watched him maneuver his body so that his back was to her before looking over his shoulder, "What is it?"

She tried to move but she was still very much strapped down, "I know you're disappointed maybe even angry but he only did it so it wouldn't be trouble. You know all the stuff I said before. He cares about you and...well… I don't really know you well enough but I would like to." She gave him a sad almost sheepish smile which had him turning back around, "Why do you care, human?" Her reaction was to tilt her head in confusion to his inquiry, "Why do I care? I care about everyone. No one is perfect and we all mess up. Sure, I am scared. I...don't want to die or be tortured or anything like that but that doesn't change the fact that I see the good in all of you. I know you have been stuck in a world where feelings are weakness and that friendship is a liability but I see it. I have seen it in the other villagers of Snowdin, the monsters in The Ruins, and your brother. He cares a lot about his amazing older brother so why wouldn't I too?"

Those white eyes wavered in a mixture of disbelief and skepticism, "HUMAN, YOU OUGHT TO KNOW BY NOW THAT YOUR EMPATHY FOR THOSE THAT LIVE AROUND THE REST OF THE UNDERWORLD ONLY TELLS ME THAT IT IS MISPLACED. DESPITE WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN, I WOULD HAVE NO DOUBT THAT IT WOULD BE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SCENARIO GIVEN THAT THERE IS A FORM OF LEVERAGE GIVEN TO THE CITIZENS HERE, AND THANKS TO MY LEADERSHIP AS HEAD OF THE ROYAL GUARD, I WOULD HAVE NO DOUBT THAT EVENTUALLY THOSE YOU WOULD MET WOULD HAVE DELIVERED YOU TO ME. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. IN THIS WORLD, HOPE HAS VERY MUCH DWINDLED AND AT THE END OF EVERYTHING, ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE KEPT THEIR WILLS AS HARD AS STEEL WILL COME OUT ON TOP. SURE, THERE WILL BE TIMES ONE CAN 'CARE' FOR ANOTHER, BUT REMEMBER THAT IN THE END, IT IS EVERY MONSTER FOR THEMSELVES. NOW THEN HUMAN, DARE YOU HAVE ANYTHING MORE TO SAY? THINK CAREFULLY AS YOUR WORDS DETERMINE WHAT I WILL DO WITH YOU NEXT."

Frisk just lay there processing the conversation. He made a grandiose speech about how wrong she was and though she did not want to drop names she thought back to Grillby. Everyone had told her to stay away from him, Doggo and Sans included, but he was the most kind to her. It just proved that once again everyone had more to them than initial appearances even Papyrus who had locked her in what he called The Torture Room continued to skirt around such an action. She was curious about how his eyes had shifted colors perhaps that was a factor? Right, she had to choose her words wisely that made sense. What was she supposed to say? That he was wrong? That would not go over well. She thought about it for a moment before speaking, "I understand all of that Papyrus. I do. I think that you all are hiding from each other. I know this world is the way it is but I have met so many monsters just trying to live their lives. They look up to you. They admire you. Praise you for your work here. You have given them peace of mind."

She closed her eyes debating whether or not her next words would end her. They fluttered open to stare into those white eye-like lights, "It makes me sad you are all like this. Papyrus you have amazing culinary skills. The food you prepare makes my taste buds sing. Your combat is so impressive the only reason I managed to dodge was because I was attempting some rather ludicrous moves. All those traps in Snowdin Forest were built by you. That is not an easy feat or oh! The fact you painted that bridge to look like wood. I was stunned. I would have never known!" She was not even playing off of his ego she was just honestly telling him her genuine thoughts.

His eye lights searched her face for any hint that she may be lying to him. But those blue eyes only seemed to show sincerity. Granted. She wasn't wrong in most of those regards. He already knew that. Though it was always nice to hear them from someone new. Even if she had done it before. Wait...that's right...during the battle, she had done the same thing. Was...was she trying to flirt her way out? "I do believe I already told you human that your flattery would not save you. Though I do appreciate your attention to the finer details." He taped his claw-like phalanges on the table before speaking again, "If, by chance, I do decide to let you go. Why should I? Aside from more of your attempts at flirting though I can see why one such as yourself would wish to try their luck with someone as great as me. I must warn you my standards are quite high and I doubt a human such as you can meet those standards."

Wait...what? He thought she was flirting with… oh, stars . She really hoped that Sans did not think that way. It would spell major trouble for her if she was not in quite the pickle right now already, "W...well you never know but uh… I was just giving genuine compliments. You know...give credit where credit is due? Y...you don't have to let me go necessarily but I would be grateful if I wasn't here or…" She gulped before continuing, "Tortured." It was called the torture room after all though torture dungeon would have been more accurate. The last place she wanted to be locked up in was here. It was dark and scary and her mind was just slowly devolving to that of an afraid child at this point.

"That's not a very convincing argument on your own behalf as to why I should let you out. Even Sans' pathetic excuse of using you against Undyne was better" What was this humans angle? Just act 'sweet' and 'kind' in hopes that others would do the same? Ha. What a joke. If someone was going to give her a crash course in how things worked down here it would be him. Yes, the current space was called the torture room but he honestly did not feel like it and besides, he could probably just leave her alone for five minutes and she would end up a scared mess again.

She knew as much but what was she supposed to do? Lie? A soft sigh slipped past her lips, "If it was so pathetic then why am I here and not out there?" It was a rather interesting question to pose though actually asking it was a little frightening. She had no idea how he would react to anything she said so she just was herself. That was all she really could do, "I just want to help. Honestly. I know that is a little confusing but it's true. I…. I don't really know what to say. Don't you want a better life than this? Aren't there things you aspire towards that aren't this brutal kill or be killed way. I know I see it. I have seen it in nearly everyone I have encountered." She just kept her eyes locked on him as she spoke. They may have been shots in the dark but she knew deep down she was right. If Boss really wanted to end her he would have especially since he just admitted that he did not believe in Sans earlier excuses.

He huffed lightly. A simple question that didn't have the simplest of answers, "You are here instead of being a red streak in the snow because my brother actually stood in the way. As I stated before he does not do such things for just anyone. There had to be a reason. A cause. We do not hide things from each other often...so to see him hide you from me. Then come up with a half-baked idea such as that… I knew something was off. I hate being lied to. He knows that. Yet he did it anyway. Multiple times. To my face." He looked away and crossed his arms as he reflected on his most recent conversations with Sans. Just how close had the human been from any of them? Where had Sans been hiding them? So many questions that he doubted his brother would answer.

He looked back over at the human as they spoke up again and lock eyes with him. Did they honestly think that they could change the Underworlds mentality so easily? So what if he had dreams outside the Royal Guard. It wasn't like they were going to happen any time soon just because some human happened to fall down and slip their way thru traps and attacks. What were they thinking they could befriend King Asgore and call him dad? Hah. What a joke. But….despite all of that...a part of his soul wanted to believe the human's words to let them try their fool's errand of helping. The inner conflict had Boss gripping his arm as he mulled the ideals and thoughts over, "If you do wish to help and undo what has been set down you will die. You are aware of this yes?" Little did Boss know but she had already died her fair share and then some.

It had taken her quite some time to get through to Sans and she automatically assumed that his elder brother would be the same if not harder. He sounded upset, clearly, as he was yelling at his younger brother earlier about hiding her from him. It was nice to see them so close even through a world like this one. She attempted to get a better look at him but that was difficult seeing as how she was currently indisposed via chains. The comment had her nodding slowly, "Yes...I...I know but if the prestigious Captain of the Royal Guard believes in me then I can do anything!" Ok, now she was starting to feel like he was unintentionally flirting. A small smile pulled up on her face as she had a spark of something in her blue eyes that appeared for a moment before vanishing as quickly as it had come.

He gave a slight sound that was reminiscent of a failed cover-up of a snicker in the form of a sigh. This human...they really wouldn't give up, would they? He walked back over so they could easily see him again, "Nyeheh a boost of confidence from the prospect of having me giving you a nod of support is a natural given. Fine then human. If you are so insistent on facing your imminent demise like you faced my attacks then I suppose I can unchain you. Just know that if you do manage to get yourself killed I will not prevent it. This world is unforgiving. Even if you are determined to forgive it. Repeatedly. Do you understand?" He watched their expression closely as if to try and spot any break in their confidence in carrying out their self-imposed mission of kindness helpfulness and whatever the fuck else it was they wanted to do.

Frisk noted the sound but stayed oblivious to its meaning. He did enjoy his praise that was for sure. It was difficult to tell just what he was thinking when he walked back toward her. He actually surprised her when he laughed followed by an affirmation that he was trusting her. A feeling grew in her chest. The same spark that she had before flickered within her ribcage each time that trust grew. She could tell he was struggling with this idea as it went against his orders but those white eyelights burned with belief in what she was saying. Her gaze never wavered, "Yes I do. I have always known. It is just something I need to do. Something I want to do." Her eyes fell closed as she continued to smile, "I can see why Sans speaks so highly of you Papyrus."

This human...it was almost inspiring how strong it held onto what it wished to do. Even in the face of death. He could respect that. He had a feeling that even if he did something to her she would still hold onto her beliefs. He undid the chains and allowed her to sit up before taking a step back and crossing his arms. Stars. It hadn't even been a full day and here he was. Letting the one thing he had sworn to capture go. "Don't make me regret this decision human. Or I will find you and make you wish you had never fallen down here."

She rubbed at her sore wrists thankfully as she watched him take a step back. He still had that conflicted expression etched into his scared face but she could tell that she had convinced him of her sincerity. Her fingers raised to the sky to cat stretch her way out of the stiffness she endured before stretching her legs as well. He did not look all that menacing anymore though his stature was vastly different than hers. Every time she spoke she had to look up at him even from a normal distance. She had begun to rock back and forth on the balls of her feet with a huge grin that stretched the length of her lips, "Thank you Papyrus. Oh, I don't know it is not so bad here." He had set her free but she still desired t to know more about him. She would no doubt shock Sans that she had convinced his seemingly ruthless older brother to trust in her judgment. Maybe she really could help them in more ways than one, "I won't! I promise I would be really sad if I disappointed The Great and Terrible Papyrus." A small chuckle escaped her as she looked up at him.

Now that she was standing he could tell just how small she was. She was slightly shorter than Sans and even though she had eaten she did still seem on the light side and that was coming from a monster who was nothing but bones, "Not so bad?" He actually snickered at her comment highly amused, "Hardly. You have even said you have seen how things are here and wish to change them." He would have called it a contradiction but he could feel her conviction. Papyrus held up a hand as if to stop her but his expression held a slight smile on the edges of his jagged mouth, "You may simply refer to me as Papyrus or Boss if you wish." As much as he liked his title even he knew it could be a mouthful to say, and she had made a point of saying it multiple times in the duration of their little conversation.

Frisk was rather small even by human standards but that was due to her less than fortunate upbringing. If you could even consider her youth an upbringing at all. At his snicker, she tilted her head with a sad smile, "Life is about perspective and sometimes we don't see it as clearly as we should." She never made any mention of her own past but after falling into this world saturated with monsters and magic one thing was clear, that she could make a difference here. The world above was far from redemption but the monsters here genuinely wanted something better but had chosen a darker path. Even then her conversations with the townspeople of Snowdin had enlightened her to their own plight. One in which Papyrus actively sought to eradicate and assemble a corner of decent living for his brother, himself, and others. She was surprised that he was giving her permission to call him by his name rather than the title but she excitedly took the gesture and extended her hand out to him, granted he would have to bend down to reach and take hold of it, "Howdy Papyrus my name is Frisk." Her heart was so filled with a newfound joy about this whole situation that she was practically beaming.

He bent down slightly and shook her tiny hand with his large one, "Hello Frisk." He rose from his place to return to a thoughtful pose, "Howdy...that reminds me of a friend. I haven't seen them in some time." The thought was quickly dismissed after a bit before he shrugged it off. Wherever his friend was he was pretty sure they were just fine. They just had to be, unless they got crushed or something. Maybe... But what were the chances of that happening? He scanned the room with squinted eye sockets before his jagged mouth pulled into a mild frown. He turned his attention on the human, "How well do you do with keeping secrets? I already know you cannot lie to save your life. Quite literally." His duty to his people and the King had been changed just with their encounter. Had Sans fallen prey to the same thing?

She realized something different about the way that he shook her hand compared to his brother. His fingers were more rigid and rough, unlike Sans that were more smooth and soft in a way. It was a difficult thing to think about let alone explain but the lacerations in the bone along his arms were something that she did note. She was not going to ask but the sight was saddening. It would explain why he wore those over the top spiked crimson gloves. They were all hiding something. Papyrus was no exception whether it be physical or emotional repression. His mention of a friend that used the same kind of greeting she just had was curious but he seemed to brush it off. Huh? The thought hurt her in some way she was unable to place as a flash of emerald crossed her mind, "Oh! I had a friend that used to say stuff like that too. I miss them but yes I can keep a secret. I promise!"

Papyrus squinted his eye sockets at her before rolling his eye lights to the side, "hmm." His gaze shifted back to her as he tapped his chin as if debating if that was a worthy agreement on their secrecy. The response seemed to appease the tall skeleton as he motioned her over to where he was standing. It was strange but he stopped in front of one of the stone walls examine it closely occasionally looking at the human, "Fine then. Come here huma- . . . Frisk." His phalanges laced through one of the metal sconces adorning the length of the room. It was the only source of light save for the trap door that led down into the space. He gave one of them a sharp pull and in true supervillain secret hideout fashion the wall and ground they were on rotated. The sudden action deposited them into another area.

Frisk just kept her head tilted to the side like a curious kitten as she watched him closely. He seemed fine as he rested his long bony fingers on the metalwork of one of the torches. She did not hesitate to do as he asked since he did it so casually, "huh?" She stood beside him looking up, "Yes?" He was going to show her something? Something he kept a secret she assumed just from his previous question. The skeleton did not utter other word but instead pulled down on one of the fixtures. She watched it give way only for the sound of some kind of mechanism fill the room. Once on the opposite side, she opened her eyes. She half expected it to be some kind of adventure or fantasy trap. Instead what lay on the other side left her confused, "B….Boss…"

What is this?

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛** **14** **t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

End of Entry...


	27. DATING START!

Summary:

Frisk ends up being asked to keep a secret by Boss. The same skeleton that is now leading her somewhere else along a strange secret passageway. Sans in the meantime has no idea what is going on downstairs. One can say that he is widdling his fingers down to the bone in order to push the horrors of interrogation from his skull but why would he care so much? He should be more concerned about his brother and his failure to explain himself. Also, where did that blasted feline get to?

{DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains NOTHING bad whatsoever just fluff. This is the Snowdin finale. Congrats everyone! We have officially brought LOG 2 to a close. I hope you all enjoyed this section! I look forward to the announcement of the start of LOG 3 which will take place in Waterfall. Let me know what you think in the comments below as you all keep this stories lifeblood pumping! Also, check out .com for concept work and everything WTU.}

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Chapter Text

 **Welcome to the Underworld** **  
**{Log 2: Snowdin

Entry 15: DATING START!}

Finale

What was on the opposite side of the wall? Where were they? Two very fine questions! What lay beyond the almost comically evil villain secret passage was a room entirely contrasting the torture dungeon from before. This was Boss' big secret? This was the space which he wanted to be hidden from the world? One half of her understood why. The second half was trying not to look too perplexed by it. He was still beside her as she could tell from her peripheral vision. Papyrus had to be at least double the height of his brother if not a little more so compared to her he was a giant. It made him all the more intimidating.

Upon further inspection, it was not a room at all but rather a corridor. It still had the same stone lining the walls. She wondered where the older of the two brothers was taking her only to notice that at the end of the hallway was a curtain of some sort. It was an obstruction that prevented her from seeing anything else as it swayed back and forth. It was an odd detail to note all things considered but soft breezes in seemingly enclosed spaces seemed to be a trend. She was not going to question it. All she could picture was him dorkily trying to conjure up some kind of a breeze in an attempt to look like a cartoon character. That or he would force Sans to hold a little fan while still trying to be out of sight just to make him look more epic than he already was. Why was she thinking like this? What a dork. Then again that was no surprise to her. She shook her head focusing on the current events.

The skeleton moved to pull the curtain aside with a smooth claw-like hand. What lay beyond the curtain was a simple industrial looking ladder that stretched a little ways above where she was currently. What was this? His secret underground lair? She honestly did not even know what to say or think. All she did was look up at him with what she was sure was a look of confusion plastered to her face. He was not paying any attention to her. She was just supposed to accept this. Alright then. Her attention continued to stay on the strange going ons that were currently unfolding. Just silently watching as the lankier of the two brothers disappeared up the ladder.

The space filled with a blinding light that shone down from the opening up above. Where in stars was he going? A better question would have been what was going on? She raised her arm to shield her sensitive retinas from the onslaught of light. Her eyes burned forcing themselves shut only for water to slowly stream from her squinting. All the little black spots danced in her vision like small flakes of snow as she forced her attention upward. Just as the phantom particles were purged from her eyes she was met with the outline of her escorts face. His sockets were squinted at first before they raised in confusion as to why she was taking her sweet time. Boss was not one to wait though his patience had improved considerably since their first encounter as short as it may have been. She did not directly meet him but she sure had heard him as she sat hidden underneath Sans sentry station. His eyes were still that blazing white. It looked so foreign to her considering the line up of colorful characters that she had met. They seemed to have a weird connection to the color red.

She was startled by his voice even though she was technically looking right at him. His glowing eyes anyway. That was not terrifying in the slightest. The skeletons voice was kind of daunting on its own without the visuals, "Human are you just going to stand there or are you coming? I thought you desired to not be locked up." She could not argue with that logic as she nodded and climbed the same rungs of the ladder that he had done just moments earlier. Thank stars she could see clearly now.

Frisk poked her head up when she reached the top only to look around. She was not sure what she was expecting but certainly not this. The contrast between the two rooms was astounding. The first had a cold, dark, and sinister feel while this one was warm, bright, and inviting. It looked no different than one of the rooms that would have been in their home. The question was why was it isolated from the main house in the first place? It was quite clear that Papyrus prized his privacy and any mention of such a secret space would cause him to lash out in an outrage. It was the only explanation as to his earlier behavior and earlier inquiry.

He was sitting on a plush velvet backed chair rich in its coloration of ebony and ivory. His legs were crossed left to right as he kept his gaze fixated on her as she found her footing away from the secret passageway. The silence that drowned the room was unnerving at best causing her to stand awkwardly with the occasional involuntarily fidget. It was like having a staring contest with one of the most intimidating individuals in existence. At least he was not clad in his armor of jagged metal and authoritarian menace. His arms were crossed as he motioned with his head for her to take a seat.

Her eyes wandered glancing at some key details within the room. It was brighter than most of the places that she had been previously but that was due to the stream of light that came from the skylight overhead. It was much too high for anyone to see in but it added an extra layer of warmth to the space. The floors were a wood that was maple in color and stretched the entirety of the room. Here and there were lamps scattered about which only added to the den feel. Most notably was what she considered the entertainment portion with book shelves filled to the brim.

The more she examined them the more she came to realize that the entire first book case was filled with cook books. The side opposite to it was a shelf with a few combat books but mostly simple novels and fiction. It had a distinct log cabin feel to it with wood paneling lining every wall along with a soft throw rug situated in the center of the room. The charcoal and wine-colored rug felt nice on her bootless feet. There was no television unlike what his brother kept hidden. In its place was a softly glowing fireplace dancing behind a glass door. There was also a table to the back behind the recliners that had drafting equipment on it along with what she could tell to be a set of some kind of kaiju like monster figures. Never would have pegged that one . One of the walls had a rack for a few neat but also deadly looking weapons of different types. One was most notably a buster sword. One you might find in an anime since it was comically large in size. It was peaceful but why was it such a secret? It was the one thing that was clawing at the back of her mind as she took a seat across from Papyrus. Once sitting across from her host she leaned back into the plush chair happy to finally relax.

Just as her eyes were about to fall closed she felt something brush her cheek. It brought with it warmth and fluff only for her to realize a small white cat was staring at her with vibrant heterochromia eyes. One was a bright blue very similar to her own while the other was a bright green that reminded her of a precious stone. It was rather fluffy up at the neck area giving the feline a more lion-like mane. It also had a little fluff on the top of its head that could have been like hair if one combed it to look in such a way. A giant collar much to big for the poor thing hung loosely at its neck. It was very similar to the one that Sans wore but this one had a shiny upside down heart tag at the end of the chain with initials that read "DF". It still had the same golden spikes adoring it's auburn leather surface. That was a rather curious name .

A soft pink paw came up to boop her on the nose as the cats tail swayed back and forth lazily only to rest on the top cushion of the chair. It contentedly nuzzled the side of her head with eyes closed and a soft rumble. What a sweet little kitten. The distinct voice of Papyrus caused her to jump in surprise. He had been silent this entire time just watching her. That wasn't unnerving at all, "Hmmm it would seem I have made the correct decision. Doomfanger appears to have taken a liking to you human! She does not take kindly to strangers often." The skeleton pulled one of the books that had been resting on the nearest side table to his face only to raise a brow bone at her, "Do you see now why you need to keep a secret?" He rested his forearm on a plush chair arm. The title of the book was obstructed by long skeletal fingers.

The question was a little impromptu and she was not sure how to respond to such an inquiry. In her mind, there was no reason as to why Papyrus would have to hide a little relaxing space but she was not a permanent inhabitant of this world. The monsters had seen things change with their own eyes and most of it not for the better. She only pulled out the one thing that they all had buried in their souls, a simple state in which all of them could agree. It was difficult to get through to specific individuals but that never stopped her from trying. No one was inherently evil. Evil was but a product of environment and upbringing. It was true that some of their actions would have delineated them as being evil but not every single one. This mindset was how she slowly began to trust Sans again even after quite a few missteps. She could have been called crazy but to her, no one was irredeemable, "Yes...a...and no. I can understand that you would want to hide this because of your reputation but I also don't understand why you cannot just be yourself. It is difficult for me to grasp. I'm sorry Papyrus." She was about to fold her hands into her lap before Doomfanger decided to curl up there instead.

The skeleton closed his sockets with an exasperated sigh raising his fingers to pinch at his nasal ridge, "At least you have some intelligence on the matter. I do not wish to be disturbed while here and so it must remain covert." It was interesting to compare the two brothers side by side. You had Papyrus on the one hand that was lanky, brutal, sarcastic, and secretive. Then you had his younger brother who was shorter, confused most of the time, bored, flirty, and secretive. She was coming to the conclusion everyone had something to hide in this underground prison. What a pair. Doomy purred softly in her lap as she pet the white cat absentmindedly, "Then why bring me here?" It was a valid question.

The question caused Papyrus to set his book off to the side, "My...brother seems to have put a lot of faith in you human. You eluded my grasp even now when you sit before me. You are not strong and yet you are not weak besides my brother thinks I am torturing you right now I cannot just appear a few moments after the fact. You are here because you have proven yourself with us but a word of warning. I will not stoop so low as to assist you in anyway. Do I make myself clear? I am already betraying the King and those under his charge. Do not ask any more of me." She simply listened and nodded. The more she thought about it the more she realized that Boss was really sticking his neck out for her just like Sans was, "I am grateful that I am here. I would not ask anymore of this kindness." The response seemed to placate the Captain as switched the position of his crossed legs. His fist was used as a head support while the opposing hand rested on the armrest. He reminded her of a thoughtful sculpture for some reason.

His eye lights shifted to the left as he tapped his bony fingers on the side of his cheekbone, "Admirable... you are quite interesting for a human." She was unsure if that was supposed to be a compliment or not but she would take it. Doomfanger appeared to be content with her spot curled up in Frisk's lap as she continued to pet the fluffy white feline. She was mildly surprised that Papyrus would keep any pets at all, "I hardly think I am interesting at all. I think everyone here is far more interesting. I want to know more about you Papyrus." She could see the corner of Papyrus' jagged mouth pull upward, "BUT OF COURSE HUMAN! YOU HAVE FINE TASTE. NO WONDER YOU ARE SO INFATUATED WITH ME! THERE IS NO ONE THAT CAN COMPARE. IT IS NO WONDER YOUR DEVOTION IS SO STRONG. VERY WELL I SHALL SATE YOUR CURIOSITY WITH THE TALES OF MY GREATNESS!" One half of her wanted to roll her eyes at how he took her simple curiosity. The other half wanted to laugh. She settled for staying silent and nodding her head enthusiastically.

Frisk rested in her chair only to give Papyrus the floor. Not that he needed any type of introduction. His personality was what she would consider as charismatic and endearingly egotistical. It was now officially storytime with Boss, "Where to start? Well, I suppose I should start at the beginning of my greatness. My brother has always been quite pathetic when it comes to defending himself. It was only natural that I was the one to defend him when things took a turn for the worse. Ha! And when they changed Undyne was hardly up for the task of being the leader of The Royal Guard and so I challenged that finned disgrace to a fight and naturally, I won. She couldn't hold a candle to my skill in combat. Her lackeys were close on my tail however once their leader had fallen. They to proved no match to me. The only one that continued to oppose me was that mutt Doggo." She could hear the distaste in his voice, "Uugh Doggo. He still tries to stick his snout in my business and mess up my plans whenever he his able. Even now with the town under my protection some still wish to disturb our slight bit of peace and Sans somehow still manages to be lazy." Papyrus finished his small speech with a somewhat proud smile gracing his face.

It was comfortable pulling her feet up so she could recline and listen to his tale. The mention of Sans not being able to defend himself just confused her. He did more than just simply defend himself. He was brutal. Was that something that Papyrus never saw from his younger brother? So that was why there was a divide between Doggo and Boss. They had been on opposing sides. It was like a violent changing of The Guard as Boss had beaten Undyne fair and square and it would seem that the guardsman's loyalty was undeniable. It was why Doggo had the conversation with her that he did. Well, it was probably not best to bring an mention of enemies into this. She was obviously super impressed by Papyrus and he was enjoyable to listen to, you know after you got over his gruff voice. There was no way that she could contain herself as she clapped gently with a huge smile on her face, "I am sure Boss! No one can best you in a lot of things! I do think that your brother is… way stronger than you think though. He would make you proud I am sure of it. He works really hard to keep up with his big bro. I….if I am allowed to make such a statement." Her back sank deeper into the recliner where she cuddled against the soft plush cushions.

He laughed at such the statement, "I will admit Sans does have his own strengths. Even without my protection. I suppose you do make a valid point. Even if it is still quite humorous." Papyrus snickered at his own joke. He loved his bro but the idea of that lazy bones putting effort into any kind of fighting or training unless cornered was nothing short of an impossibility. Then again . His eyes landed on the human sitting respectfully in front of him. He had done that for her…. curious .

She just watched him laugh at her comment before she tilted her head. It was obvious that Papyrus did not know the full extent of his brother's abilities not that it was her place to tell him that information, "R...right that's what I meant." It was not a secret that Sans still frightened her but it was better to be on the skeletons, now plural, good side. She was unsure what to say as she just nodded silently watching Doomfanger hop off her lap and into Papyrus' lap. The fluffy white cat just stared up at the skeleton before meowing cutely nuzzling his arm. Doomfanger demanded to be pet. Also, did he just make multiple puns in the same speech?

He interrupted failing in giving her the opportunity to defend herself, "Of course it is. What else could you mean?" He leaned down to pick up Doomfanger and set her in his lap petting them like an evil villain would their precious pet, "In any case. Doomfanger really seems to have taken a liking to you. I stated before that is especially rare. My little feline friend has quite the talent for telling who can be relatively trustworthy. Isn't that right Doomfanger? Who's a good little ankle biter~" He doted over the fluffy cat as if it were the most precious thing on the planet only to quickly catch himself. Boss cleared his throat snapping back to being serious and resumes petting the cat looking like a anime villain once more. Even his eyes reflected the image as they flickered back to their vibrant ruby, "It is in part to Doomfangers affinity for you that I am now willing to speak to you about things more openly and on more assorted subjects. However, speak of this outside of here and you know the drill. You know...the one suspended above the table in the other room?" He waved a hand and rolled his eyes not seeming to put much effort behind the threat. Even sounding a bit bored.

She could tell that his heart was not in the threat if it truly was she would not be sitting in a nice comfy room having a casual conversation. He looked even more like a stereotypical villain as he pet the feline resting in his lap. It was adorable how doting he was on the small thing. Papyrus really was just as interesting and filled with personality as his aforementioned brother. All she could do was smile, "Well I am glad that I have been able to gain both of your favor. I am already grateful and overjoyed that I have gained such respect from someone like you Boss!" She just sat there with a huge smile acting unintentionally like a little fangirl to the Captain willing to speak with her. Doomfanger meanwhile seemed to not be appeased by her master's petting as she batted at his hand with a annoyed expression tail flicking back and forth.

The conversation began again with one of his signature laughs, "NYEHEHE. Be sure to keep that respect. I- oh sorry Doomy here…" He looked down and properly pet the cat situated in his lap. There were certain spot Doomfanger did not enjoy being neglected by pets namely her head, "Humm...I wonder...would this be considered a date of a sort? We are both being quite open with each other, in a relaxed calm environment, and it's quite a private setting." He seemed to mostly be speaking to himself out loud as he processed his train of thought.

Frisk did not know how many hours had past. She did not know the passage of time at all. Had it been minutes? Hours? It was not clear as she sat speaking with Papyrus something she would never have thought would even potentially be an outcome. Just hours ago she was locked in the dungeon. Her eyes fell on the book that Papyrus had now picked back up as he appeased his feline companion who jumped up to perch on the skeletons shoulders. The cat's fluffy tail draped around Boss neck like another scarf. He sure did love that little cat. The question caused her to just blink as if processing the information. She opened her mouth to set the answer straight but she was cut off by Papyrus once more.

Another interruption, "OF COURSE IT IS! After all who would not wish to go on a date with me. The Great Papyrus! Though for this date I suppose we will have to hold off on a meal until later." He now seemed to genuinely consider the aspects of a proper date. His thumb flicked through the book in his hand and glanced at it before the faintest dusting of red crosses his cheek bones. The fluster vanished just as quickly as it came, before he tosses the book over his shoulder, "Though I suppose some other aspects are also best left ignored."

She just sat there with a bewildered look on her face as he continued to assume that she had been flirting with him to the point that they were now on a date. Her face said it all but she was sure that Papyrus was so focused on the proper aspects of a date that he glanced at the book housed in his bony grasp only to toss it over his shoulder. Was he BLUSHING?! Oh, stars what had he read in that book that would garner such a reaction from the rather composed skeleton? She was unsure if she truly wanted to know. That is until a sticky note fluttered to the floor just before the book was tossed which read. Bro, remember to return my book. Hate when ma stuff goes missin -Sans. Now it all made sense… She did not need to even stretch her imagination to know exactly what was housed in the pages of that book that had caused Papyrus' cheekbones to flare up a bright shade of red. It belonged to Sans… of course it did, "I...ummm." What is one supposed to say to any of this madness? She quickly tried to change the subject, "So Papyrus when did you start learning how to cook? I always considered it an art form."

Papyrus clears his throat thankful for a subject change, "Ah! Interested in my culinary background I see. I too consider it an art. A delicate dance between flavors, timing and skill. I actually picked up the hobby from my now nemesis Undyne. We used to be quite close but then…" He becomes trails off quiet for a moment before shaking it off, "Anyways I continued to cook. It gives me something to do and is quite enjoyable. In addition, you get something quite nice out of it so long as you know what the fuck you are doing. One of my favorite meals to prepare is lasagna due to it being half stove work half baking and a balance between flavors on each layer."

Frisk perked up sitting forward in her recliner looking like an eager puppy dog. She would have had stars in her eyes if that was even possible. The talk about artistry and passion had her excitement bubbling to the surface excited to learn and hear more about the skeleton's skill, "That's amazing! I would love to learn how to make something so delicious. You would make a huge fortune on the surface with a fire star restaurant! You could cook for millions and impress them with your skills! It would be amazing I am sure there would be a line out the door and reservations months ahead!" She was practically glowing as she used her arms to emphasis this grandiose vision. When she was finished she had a newfound energy.

Papyrus gives a slight, almost sad smile as he listens to Frisk, "That is quite the vision. If we, by some miracle were able to get out, then that would be a dream come true, however, I doubt that will be the case. what is to say that once we are free that the humans will not attack us?" He looked at Doomfanger and gently ran his hand through the cat's fluffy snow like fur, "It is a pointless dream that serves no purpose here. There is still the glaring issue of us getting out and facing the humans once again. They trapped us once. What is to say they won't do it again? Or better yet eliminate us as we exit. I...am well aware that many of us are not cute fuzzy cuddly individuals."

Her energy and excitement faded as did the smile on her face. His hopelessness was something that she saw through the entirety of her journey. It was no wonder everything here felt so bleak and all Papyrus tried to do was make Snowdin a little sanctuary, "That is why I am here." She smiled sadly with her eyes closed, "I am here to make that dream a reality. The more I spend time here. The more I meet everyone. The more I want to help and there is only one way I know how." Her face continued to hold the smile but on the inside, her soul quivered. She was not dim-witted. The end of this journey would be the end. That bright future that she imagined for them all. She would never be able to see it, "That's why I want to make my way to Waterfall. That is the next step on my journey."

She shook her head slowly back and forth, "The humans… they don't believe in monsters. It has been generations upon generations. They are afraid of the very idea of monsters. I don't mean to be rude in anyway but to them...up there….you are just a story. A horror story. The ever terrifying and mysterious Mt. Ebott where fearsome and bloodthirsty monsters were trapped deep underground. Some are even lead to believe that Ebott is even the gateway to Hell. It's….well...just a story to them." Another shake of her head as she spoke. It was something she too had believed until she fell into this world.

Papyrus took her words into consideration before his rebuttal, "That's even more of a reason to be cautious should we make it to the surface. Monsters...humans...both in fear is very dangerous. It can make one do unpredictable things and should one hold confidence they can easily influence a herd of scared mindless sheep. They are not wrong to think of us as nightmares or bloodthirsty killers. As some genuinely are." He was watching her intently with crimson tinged eyelights as his hand stilled in the petting of Doomfanger. He would love to see the surface but..the risk...at current seemed far too great for him to take that foolish idea and grasp at the chance.

He did make an excellent set of points as she unintentionally held up her own hands staring at them for a moment. She was an outsider in both worlds. She had not met everyone but she just could not see it even though others had tried to harm her or worse there was still good in them. She had yet to meet someone that truly was evil. Someone that wanted nothing more to caused pain and suffering, "I can...still try." Her eyes drifted from her own hands to the monster in front of her. The risks were high she knew but if she could help the monsters here then maybe the world could change too. Monsters and humans could live in harmony like the stories once spoke of. That was a little too idealistic even for her.

So strange. She had no preconceived notions about any of them. Surely she knew of his reputation but spoke with him as if they were friends. It was...refreshing, "So you have said. Yet I feel it may just be the death of you. If not in one way than it will sure be another." He could see her trying to process the realities of their world. Was it really possible for someone not to be able to see the cruelties and dangers surrounding them like a blind cat stumbling through the snow? He sighed knowing that he couldn't convince or change her mind. She has already proven that aspect of her personality to him earlier.

His soft sigh had her looking at him sheepishly. She was glad that she was able to talk with Papyrus like this. Her lips parted to speak once more to reply to his concerns only to end up with a fluff ball in her face. Doomy had jumped from Boss' shoulders right on top of her. The feline looked upset with her ears pinned back flat against her skull nearly hissing in the direction of the entrance to the room. That was when she heard a familiar voice calling from afar. The acoustics must have been incredible in order to hear a voice from all the way in the secret room.

Just hours? prior Sans was on edge as his crimson eyelights flicked over to his older brother. He had just given Frisk something to eat though that was not something that Papyrus had asked him to do. The action was done purely on his own volition. He had stood up for her before but there was only so much he could accomplish where his brother was concerned. All he could do was wait and unfortunately also worry. That's right he finally admitted to his own concern for the human. All she ever did was smile and try to make things better. The exact opposite of what he had done and yet she still gave her friendship to him so easily. He knew she did not deserve to be tortured by his brother. His finger raised to his mouth to begin to nibble at the bone as one would bite their nails.

The taller skeleton briefly moved past Sans' place on the couch in order to put his boots back on. He watched as Papyrus descended into the faux floor trap door in kitchen leading down into the "torture room." Those boot steps making a distinct creak as the door fell shut leaving the younger of the two mildly panic-stricken. Would he hear her cries? Her screams? It was sick to think at one point he enjoyed those sounds. Now they were just making his non existent stomach turn to knots. Once his brother disappeared he made his way to the kitchen not hearing a single sound from either. He was unsure if that was a concerning development or a promising one. He nearly placed his skull to the floor in an effort to hear something, anything. Nothing. Complete and total silence.

If she was dead then he would have been right back at the star right before she had gained his older brothers favor. The unnerving silence was eating away at him causing him to think of something more horrible than the last. One after the other leaving him in a mild state of panic but of course he did not care that much. After a period of time, he moved away from the door only to pace from the kitchen to the living room multiple times. He did not know how many times he did it either before he went to rest on the couch still a seemingly nervous wreck. Sans tried to push it from his mind but he was failing at doing so. It was not easy looking after a human girl that practically ran into danger.

He sat on the couch only relaxing in one position for a max total of five minutes before he turned and continued to fidget nervously trying to find some peace of mind. His eye lights continued to flick from the kitchen area to the black screen in front of him. He had not even turned the thing on. Even if he did it would not prevent his lack of focus. Eventually, he lay down on the couch entirely reclining as best as he could draping a arm over his face. There was still not a single indication of movement or any noise whatsoever. Either he was going deaf or Frisk had an amazing pain tolerance. He shook his head groaning softly no that would be impossible. He had seen her all sweetness and sugar and there was no way someone as soft as she was would be able to endure that kind of physical torture. He had witnessed as such first hand. There was that nauseous feeling again.

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock.

There was no clock. Not even an indication of time but he had dozed off only to wake up startled by his own snoring. Once fully awake he bolted upright eye lights pin pricks within his sockets. His eyes flicked immediately to the kitchen. His brother was not present. Frisk was not present. Nothing had changed. He couldn't take it anymore as he shuffled his way to the trap door only to start to sweat wiping the crimson drops from his skull. One does not disturb Boss during his work. Too late, "Boss where are yas? Give da kid a break a'ready!" He nearly said it with a waver in his tone.

Frisk pet Doomfanger trying to calm the puffed up floof of a cat down gently stroking her fur in a soothing way. It was clear that she did not enjoy the deep baritone of the other skeletons voice but after a while, she seemed to calm down enough that she nuzzled against her hand. It was strange to hear Sans voice all of a sudden after speaking with Papyrus for so long.

Papyrus's eye lights became thin pricks in his sockets as he heard Sans' voice. He couldn't let his brother find out about this little date which itTOTALLY WAS . He hoisted Frisk into his arms along with Doomfanger. They took a faster exit out of the relaxed space and into a thin corridor. Judging by the others voice they were already making their descent down the stairs. This meant he didn't have much time to get them out of the secret passage. At the end of the narrow hall, Papyrus shoved open a hidden floor plate and pushed Frisk into the "torture" chamber room before climbing out himself. He used his boot to move the loose board back in place. Sans was closer now as he spotted the others shadow. QUICK POSITIONS! He racked his suddenly paralyzed mind for something to do. He picked up Frisk and moved to set her on the table she had been previously been chained to. However, in his rush, he tripped landing the both of them in a rather compromising position just as Sans made it down the steps. Uh….oh...

Boss was inches from her face as she lay there with his hand right next to her head. She even had one of her hands on his shirt just because she had tried to prevent him from falling forward further. The look on his face when Sans walked down the steps had them both flushing furiously with a look that could only be described as a deer in the headlights. Their heads slowly turned to look at the new spectator of their unfortunate out of context situation. She was sure that from where he was standing this did not look good at all. The only reaction she had was that her cheeks turned just a shade darker when her cobalt blue eyes landed on Sans.

Papyrus' face turns bright red as he registers Frisk's hand placed on his ribs and laying under him. He himself had gone to catch himself from the stumble resulting in his hands on either side of her and their legs in an equally compromising position. With his legs between her and hers between his. In addition, they were practically nose to nose. Well...more nose to nose cavity. They both look over at the same time as Sans pauses at the door way. Papyrus had to make one thing clear "This isn't what it looks like I swear". His voice cracks slightly as if he was not expecting to have used it.

Sans just stared. It was all he could do with his eyelights complete void from his sockets. He had his mouth slightly open just vacant. His mind could not process just exactly what he was seeing and what he was thinking. His brain was in complete disconnect from his eyes. He did not realize it but he had his fists balled up so tight that he had to hide them behind him. Here he was worried about the human for what felt like hours and here he finds her with his brother like this. He was unsure if he should be indifferent or upset. It was most likely the latter. His eye lights returned only to slowly shift to Frisk who looked like she was a combination of mortified and flustered. She said nothing and let Papyrus do the talking for her. He did not realize yet again but his eye sockets were squinted and brow bones were furrowed for but a moment, "Yea...ah can see dat Boss. So wha' ah ya doin' with tha human?" His question came out a little more clipped than he wanted it to.

He was paralyzed. Even in combat, he did not feel this befuddled for a solution, "er…WHAT INDEED BROTHER!" Papyrus couldn't say that he had a secret room nor could he say he had taken the human to said secret room for a pleasant conversation lacking any and all forms of torture. Unless torture consisted of petting Doomy and talking about hobbies, history, and his greatness , "I….WAS TAKING YOU UP ON HER ADVICE AND DETERMINING HER POTENTIAL AND VALUE!" ...Wait...no that sounded much better in his head!

Frisk wanted to slap the palm of her hand against her forehead. Even in pressing situations he was being a complete dork. Then again she did not know how to explain the situation either if she wanted to keep his secret in tact. She now had two secret rooms to keep secret. It was kind of ironic. The poor human shook her head slowly trying to give some sort of input but she was just as lost as Boss was. Even under the stress of the situation they still had not moved from their compromising positions only frozen as they tried to stupidly explain their way out of it, "I have umm proven myself?" Stars that sounded horribly stupid. This was not helping in anyway whatsoever. Time to keep her mouth shut as she broke eye contact trying to let Papyrus do damage control.

Sans in the meantime had moved his arms to rest crossed over his chest still hiding the amount of force his palms were gripped into. In fact, he was beginning to tap his foot. He was not happy in the slightest though his furrowed brows from earlier were no longer present, "So da human a prisona 'r a guest nah? Whatcha thinkin Pap?" His foot tapping became more and more aggressive, "Cause I dunno know boutchas, but I'm gettin tired n bout ta turn in. Gotta figure out what we're doin wit 'er." He stood there waiting for an answer with his crimson eyes moving first to Frisk then to Boss and then back to Frisk. His foot taping had ceased only replaced with a tension one could probably cut with a variety of sharp implements housed in the room the trio were in.

Boss slowly pulls back from frisk and takes a step away as he controls his blush and fixes his outfit. "well...I suppose that she is more of a guest than a prisoner at this point. It's hard to have a prisoner who refuses to scream. In pain. From torture that is. Not anything else like what could be found in your dating manual."

She just heard the other ramble and unlike his younger brother, he was saying something even worse. Sans had a tendency to just ramble and say stupid things but Boss just rambled and made it even more suspicious! Oh, stars . He just had to mention that stupid dating manual didn't he? What would Sans even be thinking right now? THIS WAS BECOMING FAR MORE SUGGESTIVE! Every single word out of his mouth was only implicating something unsavory. She just glanced at Papyrus finally able to sit up. There was not a single scratch on her and she didn't look any different so that was something...right? She finally spoke keeping her gaze away from either one of them, "Maybe...it's just… a good idea if we all rest a….and talk about this tomorrow?" They all seemed irritable, confused, and tired, "Yes. Let us get upstairs. I shall make us some desert. How do brownies sound? Perhaps with some nice cream…" He nods at this plan of action and looked at Sans trying to defuse the subject as quickly as possible.

They both just nodded their heads almost as if in unison, creepily enough. She slipped off the table with her fingers pressed together sheepishly. This was so awkward and though Papyrus tried his best to kind of defuse the situation she still felt like Sans' crimson gaze was boring into the back of her skull. Boss made his way up the steps with her following and Sans bringing up the back. She could not prevent the audible gulp as they all stood once more in the kitchen. Just hours? ...ago she was a prisoner forced into what the elder dubbed the "torture room." Only to end up as a guest instead. Not to mention trying to calm down the nearly growling skeleton next to her.

Time to soothe the savage beast. She smiled gently at Sans, "Soooo were you worried about me?" Her teasing had her poking him gently in the arm. He looked like he was not having it, "looks like I don't gotta be…looks like Pap's ya new favorite now. Didn think of ya bein like that." She tilted her head curiously before shaking it. Why did he care so much anyway? Hmmm, what would work? She poked him gently, "Come on Sans cheer up we just talked ok? It is exactly the same kind of talk we had." He grumbled lightly before the tension in his shoulders eased. He could see the truth behind her words. She was much too innocent to act that way. He should have known better. Just the sight of it made him what? Angry? Instead, he sighed before smiling back at the human next to him before poking her back, "Alright kitten. I trust ya. Yer ta goodie goodie fer that anyway." That had her suddenly smiling. Papyrus was already pulling ingredients from the cupboards setting them on the counter as the two took seats at the island.

As always the oldest skeleton out did himself with double chocolate brownies lightly dusted with powdered sugar. That is until it was smothered in a helping of what the two called nice cream. She assumed it was just ice cream but when she picked up her fork she realized it was beyond that. She slowly lifted the frozen treat to her mouth only to get a burst of vanilla that washed over her taste buds along with a little magical tingle. Monster food was weird but that did not mean that she could get enough of it. It felt as though it was more than just something to eat but rather a necessity to keeps one's energy stable in more ways than one. The trio sat around enjoying their little dessert break before Sans just casually tried to swipe some of the nice cream off the top of her baked goodie, "h….hey! Get your own!"

He only started to laugh before waggling his eyebrow bones up and down in a joking way. At least he was no longer upset. She wanted to slap him but it wasn't out of anger or frustration but rather playful scolding. The kind one might do with a sibling. She ended up pulling the plate closer to her in an effort to prevent him from stealing anymore letting her fork hover to swipe at his his intruding fork if need be. At one point she even managed to swipe some of his cherry flavored nice cream from his plate, "Payback bone head." He just shrugged his shoulders with a grin and another laugh, "didn know ya hada thing fa cherries there dollface~" She nearly choked on the helping of cherry flavored nice cream only for Sans to fill the room when he started cracking up at her own expense. The fact she got the joke was even worse. This banter continued back and forth as if nothing from before had ever happened. That included Papyrus as well. It was...nice.

It felt so peaceful and dare she say normal to be talking and laughing. The feeling of having a casual meal not out of necessity but for enjoyment. It was something she had never known. What she did not know is that the duo felt the same. Boss in the meantime had started to clean up the dishes before rolling his eyes at their childish antics. She offered to help him clean up just as she took the last bite of her brownie and as soon as the kitchen was spotless her mind drifted off to what exactly they were planning on doing about sleeping arrangements. The elder's voice caught her off guard.

Papyrus eventually spoke up, "Well human you are not what we expected but your combat skills need much more work. Prepare human for I the Great Papyrus will be your new trainer!" Frisk nearly choked on her nice cream, "W...what? Training?" Sans looked just as surprised, "Uh Pap ya gonna train Frisk?" He rested his elbow on the counter, "That remains to be seen. Human get some rest you will need it for tomorrow bright and early! Tardiness will not be acceptable." Frisk nodded her head before doing a little salute, "Yes sir!" A glint of excitement appeared in those now red eye lights as he looked down at her, "Very well Frisk you should get some rest if you are to be ready for what I have prepared in the morning!" The mention of her name had Sans glancing her direction. Papyrus had no longer called her human but rather was using pronouns and the like.

Yes, sleep sounded nice for once. She half expected to be tossed somewhere. It would not surprise her but they just set her up on the couch with a nice warm blanket and fluffy pillow. Her arms and legs felt a little sore after the battle with Boss as she rubbed at her eyes. She was apparently now having a training session the next morning with the Captain of the Royal Guard. Her exhaustion began to drain the life from her as once again she let sleep drift her away on a lazy river but not before she thought she felt a hand on her head for just that one moment. It lingered only to disappear pulling her deeper into a state of unconsciousness.

Everytime, without fail, Frisk always ended up in a dream-like state when she finally was able to rest but this time nothing of the sort awaited her. Her eyes fluttered open the next morning only to attempt to rub the sleepiness from her eyes. Where was she? Groggy blue eyes scanned the space only to recall the events of the previous day. She had run away from Sans after his mockery only to end up running into his older brother. The second take had her struggling with a semi-confessional Sans who swore that what he had said was a lie only for her to take on Boss once more and survive. Well, to a point. Just as a finishing blow could be struck the younger of the two brothers had stood in the line of attack immediately halting the other. She was deemed their prisoner and returned to the house only to end up in what Boss called his "torture room". That too did not appear so bleak as she found herself having a casual conversation with Papyrus after he told her to keep the room hidden beyond the cold stone a secret. Last but not least their rush to return with Sans being unaware left them looking like they were doing something rather scandalous. That was not the case but that was that. The night ended with the most delicious brownies she had ever tasted and a peaceful rest.

Her rigid body popped when she sat upright stretching as much as she could. She lifted her arms to the sky in an attempt to loosen up. The couch was not the issue in this case. It was the constant dying and coming back to life that made her feel much older than she was. A youth by all definition of the term but even if one's number defined them you could never truly place the damage stress put on the body. She swore she was going to feel one hundred at the end of all of this.

Another stretch had her pausing as the scent of delicious breakfast wove around her. These two really knew how to eat. Was she supposed to approach? Even in the good graces of the elder of the two he still scared her to some degree. They both did. Sure, they were dorky and ridiculous but she had seen the worst of them first and if Sans little lesson had taught her anything it was that she needed to keep her trust more closely guarded. It was a difficult request. The longer she sat there, the more she could smell the tantalizing aroma of preservatives and dough. She had no idea what Boss was making in the kitchen but it smelled like heaven.

She slipped off the couch only to find Papyrus hardworking in the kitchen and was he wearing an orange button up shirt? That was out of place. He looked like he was enjoying himself with his eye lights focused on the task at hand and a small smile pulled up on his jagged mouth. She could tell his passion for his cooking was something that truly brought him joy. His comment from the day prior about it being a fantasy, hurt her heart a little. Boss was no different than the rest. He wanted something more but had given up on it all making excuses as to why such a thing would never come to pass.

The array of colorful dishes continued to pile up on the island where none other than Sans sat with his elbow resting on the counter. He was munching on a piece of bacon before waving it with a small flourish in the air, "Pap think Frisk will be happy with just this ya don't need ta go overboard." Papyrus turned to address his brother with a skillet in his bony clutches, "You failed to tell me what the human enjoyed and so I am just covering your inability to socialize properly with as much as I can." He said it in a mocking fashion but he had started to chuckle. The both of them burst out laughing before Boss cleared his throat. The entire scene had her smiling behind the wall she was using to hide her presence.

Boss was not joking. The entire island was covered in fancy breakfast foods. Some of which she had never seen the likes of in her entire life. There were waffles piled high with bananas, strawberries, and whipped cream. A bowl of assorted fruits such as kiwis, melon, raspberries, and strawberries. A few what looked to be blue berry scones sat on the counter along with a crepe or two and of course the bacon. It was a breakfast that would have probably fed all if not more of Snowdin and he had made all of it on his own. She watched Sans try to swipe another slice of bacon only to have a wooden spoon come down on his hand as a reminder to be patient.

She could hear the two talking once more. This time it was Sans who spoke up first, "Pap are ya really gonna train Frisk. Never seen ya so enthusiastic about meetin someone new before let alone a human." Papyrus set the skillet down and turned off the stove before shaking his head, "I admit I surprised myself yesterday. I expected this to be of no consequence. Bring the human's soul to The King. A simple task not befitting my station. It would have been easier if they fought back." She could hear Sans sigh in response, "Ya tellin me. Not supposed ta care bout a human that just fell down ere just cant help it. Besides tha kitten keeps running inta danger all tha time. Can't stop em if I tried. Really irritatin' but uh she thinks she can fix all a this." Another sigh.

Boss crossed his arms, "Sans… I have been...thinking. The human will not last long in Waterfall not with that wretched fish patrolling the area." The other raised a brow bone before reaching for any scrap of food his brother would let him get his hands on. In this case, it was a piece of toast that he made quick work of with those sharp teeth, "Pap are ya sayin we should escort tha human ta Asgore?" Papyrus shook his head but it looked half-hearted, "No...no of course not only through Waterfall of course. After that they are… on their own." It was silent as the two stared at each other before looking away.

Frisk was happy that they had at least come to terms with her beliefs. They did not understand her motivations sure but they accepted it and they were going to help? She did not see that coming. Her mind sifted through her thoughts slowly as she rubbed at her eyes once more. She stepped from her hiding place and smiled gently with tears in her eyes just due to a soft yawn, "Good morning." The two replied almost in unison, "Good morning Frisk" , "mornin kitten." Her smile grew as she took a seat next to Sans who had turned her direction placing a hand on the top of her head, "Howdcha sleep doll?" It felt familiar but she shook the thought away, "Very well. It is one of the most restful and peaceful sleeps I have ever had." He removed his hand from her head, "Glad ta hear it now eat somethin just lookin at ya makes me hungry." She could have sworn he said that in a very specific way but she attempted to ignore it.

Her attention was now on Papyrus who rolled his eye lights at his younger brothers antics, "Frisk the human. I have decided to forego our training session as my brother and I have decided to help you on your little quest. As suicidal as it may be. Now eat up I did not prepare an award-winning breakfast for it to go to waste." They were going to help her? Even if she had heard it briefly mentioned before there was no way it was true. It still put a look of shock on her face, "Y...you made this all for me? You're going to help?" Her hands rested gently in her lap as she looked at the both of them. She truly had made an impression on them both most notably, Sans. She had to contain her emotions as she filled her plate high with the breakfast of royalty.

The duo grabbed their own plates and did the same only for Boss to stand leaning his spine against the edge of the sink for support, "We both decided that a creature as small...and frail… and sweet would not be able to even step a foot within Waterfall alone. It is much too dangerous." Was he playing the protective big brother type? Maybe. Sans in turn ripped another piece of bacon in two before speaking up, "Well doll looks like ya can't get rid of me so easily… can ya?~" The taller stayed silent after his brothers obvious flirtation took over. Even if he had the reputation Papyrus knew his brother better. He was mostly all talk and little action in that regard, "Sans would you cease your vulgar attitude for once so we can be on our way?" The end of the sentence was punctuated with an empty plate being set in the sink.

He was at it again. Did he ever know when to stop? Instead of giving him the reaction he was clearly looking for she just smiled after finishing her meal, "No I suppose not. I appreciate the company." She saw that his expression never changed until Papyrus spoke up about his unsavory behavior. Oh if only Pap knew, "I worry though...being seen with me won't that harm your reputation? I… You have both done so much for me already and I am beyond grateful. I just.." She looked down and away spinning her chair to the right, "I don't want to cause trouble or be a burden." Her sadness was short lived as she was spun around to face the two, "We got our minds made up kitten. Can't change em if we tried." Papyrus' voice followed, "Yes, my brother is correct. It may be of consequence in the future however we have made this decision for ourselves. We shall accompany you through Waterfall and that is final."

Why was everything becoming blurry? Oh, stars. She could feel her eyes beginning to water at how they were treating this. How they were treating her. She was not going to cry. No. She would not give in. A soft sniffle was her response along with a small nod, "Sans you made the human cry." The younger just shook his head, "Nah Pap she just does this sometimes." The weight on her shoulders lifted as she used her thumb to wipe at her suddenly wet cheeks, "I...I am alright. I am happy. I'm sorry I didn't mean to… become emotional." The two stayed silent giving her a little space as they cleaned up the kitchen.

Once clean the two disappeared only to return in their usual attire. Boss was back in his armor and Sans well, old habits die hard she guessed. She, in turn, had already grabbed her satchel and boots from beside the couch. The two escorts swung open the door only to get a gust of icy wind in their faces. It was time to head back out into the frosty tundra that was Snowdin Town. She felt odd walking onward with Sans on her right and Papyrus on her left but it was also comforting. It was hard to be alone but she wasn't not anymore. Boss had said that this would all end at Waterfall but she held out the hope that maybe that wouldn't be true. She could not ask for more. They were already putting themselves in danger even being seen with her.

The crunching of snow beneath the trios boots suddenly came to end when the scenery began to change. They had walked through the snowy flurry beyond as the snow melted away and the ground began to grow in a strange deep violet hue. There was a small river of dark water that ran along side of them just to their left as they continued their journey. That was when she heard the soft sound of falling water. It was by no means a grand waterfall but the cavern they were progressively walking deeper into had a little water feature just above. The scenery was so different than what she was used to.

The rock walls that lined the path were sprinkled with various gems and stone that glittered as they walked. She could have sworn she heard the faint twinkling of some kind of chimes as they entered only for the three to stop. The last words she heard before the sound of rushing water drowned them out, stuck in her mind.

"Welcome ta Waterfall kitten."

 **O̵̡͡c͟t̶̴҉̧0be͢҉r̵̢͟͠ ͏̛** **15** **t̡̧̧h̴̢̢͝ ҉͠͝͡2̴̸0̴̷͘͡1҉̸̷X̸̢̨**

End of LOG...


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